Real-time Application of Herbicides in Seed Lines by Computer Vision and Micro-Spray System

Abstract

Droplet application of herbicides at single weed seedlings was studied. Manual applicationof the droplets showed that 1 g per plant gave 95% efficacy. Assuming a weed density of 100 plantsm-2 this result corresponds to a glyphosate consumption of only 1 g ha-1. Automatic application ofherbicide droplets was performed with a vision controlled micro-spray system installed in anautonomous robot. Under indoor conditions it was demonstrated that objects which were the size ofa weed seedling could be hit at sub-centimeter accuracy. Only about 10 L of spray liquid was usedper object which corresponds to a few g of glyphosate. In an outdoor field experiment with theautomatic micro-spray system efficacies of 82% were obtained with 22.6 g of glyphosate per planton average. This is only around 4% of the official label recommendation for glyphosate.