Article Summary

Introduction:

It is estimated that weeds are responsible for 34% of crop losses. Therefore, weed control is the greatest challenge in agriculture to ensure food security while maintaining high health and nutritional standards. The ARA precision field sprayer from Ecorobotix (Fig. 1 A) is an efficient solution for chemical weed control. ARA uses artificial intelligence and highly precise, localized spraying technology (Fig. 1 B) to effectively combat weeds while achieving higher yields. The study compares different weed control methods: an untreated control (NT), ARA with selective products, ARA with non-selective products, and broadcast spraying.

Results:

• In 2023, the ARA field sprayer saved over 78.9% of herbicide quantities in weed control for onion crops over 1 hectare compared to traditional broadcast treatments.
• ARA showed a global weed elimination efficacy of 92% compared to 99% for the broadcast treatment, with fewer applications (5 with ARA compared to 9 conventional) and simultaneously preserving the integrity of the crops (Fig.2).
• Weed control with ARA ensures higher yields per hectare (67 t/ha) compared to conventional application (43 t/ha) and untreated control (59 t/ha).

Summary:

In summary, ARA significantly contributes to environmental protection by drastically reducing the use of plant protection products in crops. By eliminating weeds and reducing the phytotoxic effects of chemical weed control agents, the potential of crops is maximized.

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