February 2022 - 8

WEEDING
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Next, with an intermediate level of
complexity, are tractor-mounted
in-row robotic weeders (photo 2). These
are also towed behind the tractor by
the three-point hitch, however, they
do not use traditional weeding tools,
rather, there is a camera for each row
and the camera
guides a piece
of steel moving
in between
individual
plants. Tractormounted
inrow
robotic
cultivators
need a person to drive the tractor or to
control it.
The final type of weeding robot,
High-Tech Tools
2022
with the greatest level of complexity,
are autonomous robotic weeders
(photo 3). These machines do not
need a tractor or operator and once
a field map is inputted they move on
their own through the field for hours
at a time, day or night. For now these
autonomous robotic weeding machines
can carry traditional weeding tools
(sweeps, finger-weeders, etc.) and not
the camera-controlled blades that weed
in between each plant.
Fennimore has conducted a lot of
trials, and he shared his data about the
time required for each tool. Growing an
acre of lettuce costs about $439 per acre
to weed. Of this total weeding time,
hand weeding requires 68%, 9% is for
tractor cultivation, and 22% is herbicide
application. Hand weeding is the major
cost of weed control.
Fennimore identified three different
robotic weeders that are being used
in California. The Stout (photo 2)
is a tractor-mounted in-row robotic
weeder. The Titan (photo 4) is also
a tractor-mounted in-row robotic
weeder but it comes with its own
tractor, and the Dino is an autonomous
robotic weeder with traditional tools
(photo 3). Fennimore shared the
results of trials completed by him and
Richard Smith showing what these
three machines can do.
The machines' performance was
variable (just like farming). For
example in one trial in a commercial
field the Titan machine removed 69%
of the weeds in the row and reduced
hand weeding time by about half
(compared to traditional between-row
cultivation), but in another trial it
removed only 31% of weeds in the row
and reduced hand weeding time by
about 10%.
In another research trial, between-row
tractor cultivation removed 66% of weeds
on the bed-top and the Titan removed
91%. In this trial the Titan reduced
hand weeding by about half compared
to between-row tractor cultivation. In
another commercial field trial the Stout
Photo 2: A tractor-mounted in-row robotic weeder made by Stout.
Photo 3: The Dino autonomous robotic weeder.
Jolene
Troubadour
Jackson
Shogun S10
HYBRID ROUND TOMATO
HYBRID TRIPLOID WATERMELON
Produces an attractive large to
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GREEN BEAN
Small compact bush plant. Uniform
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HYBRID SWEET BELL PEPPER
Extra-large variety with high yield
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For information on these and other Clifton Seed
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find a sales representative in your area.
ftil
6 | VegetableGrowersNews.com
http://www.cliftonseed.com http://www.VegetableGrowersNews.com
February 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2022
