In the fields of Kansas, a group of robots is used to cut weeds between rows of crops. These robots, 1.2 meters long and 0.6 meters wide, run on batteries and have caused mixed reactions in the farming community. Clint Brauer, a former tech executive, returned to the family farm in central Kansas after his father fell ill. Brauer recognized the potential of robots in agriculture, seeing them as powerful tools to help farmers reduce chemical use, protect their health and the environment.
Softver: Stable Diffusion
Brauer’s company, Greenfield, manufactures and programs robots in the premises of his grandmother’s old farmhouse. Twenty farmers have signed up for the robot’s services this season, and the company plans to clear about 2,000 hectares of land. Farmers have been battling weeds for centuries, which compete with crops for moisture, nutrients and sunlight. For the past 50 years, chemical treatments have been the dominant method of weed control, but with the increased use of chemicals, scientific evidence points to health risks. Glyphosate is linked to cancer, paraquat to Parkinson’s disease, and atrazine to reproductive problems.
Robots as an effective solution
Weed killer chemicals are also harmful to the environment, negatively affecting soil health and pollinators. Widespread use of herbicides has encouraged weed resistance, making control difficult even with repeated applications. Companies that produce weed-killing robots receive financial support to promote sustainable production and nature protection. North Dakota-based Aigen Robotics has raised $19 million to develop robots with solar panels that work autonomously. This year, 50 robots will be deployed in sugar beet fields in the US Midwest, with plans to increase the number to 500.
Software: Hotpot.ai
Other companies are developing robots to precisely spray herbicides. Even the global agrochemical company Bayer is showing interest in robotic technologies. However, skeptics point out that robots may not be effective due to the large area and diversity of agricultural needs. Some believe it is better to work with nature through regenerative agriculture, which includes strategies to improve soil health, limit pesticides, rotate crops and plant cover crops.
Adam Davis, professor and head of crop research at the University of Illinois, believes robots can be part of an integrated approach to weeding, but not the only tool. Wisconsin farmer Ryan Erisman sees robots as another step in the race against nature. Despite the skepticism, Kansas farmer Tory Ball is looking forward to soybean weeding robots after they successfully weeded his sunflower fields last year.
Source: N1
Source: boljazemlja.com
