ARA in corn

In central Ukraine, STOV "Druzhba" is applying Ecorobotix’s AI-powered ARA sprayer in its seed corn production plots, a crop where data on Ultra-High Precision (UHP) spraying is still emerging. The farm has significantly reduced input use while safeguarding sensitive breeding areas. The sprayer’s UHP weed targeting is particularly valuable in seed fields, where varied planting schedules and growth stages make traditional weed control more challenging. 

In 2024, the team tested the sprayer on 300 hectares of soy and corn, achieving 40–90% savings on herbicides and fertilizers, depending on weed pressure and crop type. They also recorded a 1–3% yield increase in corn, equivalent to 140–420 kg/ha. With such promising results, the team is optimistic about the future of using the ARA precision sprayer across seed corn and beyond. ARA’s technology has already proven its effectiveness in increasing yields and reducing input costs in a wide range of crops, including onions, carrots, lettuce, and more, showing the strong future for ultra-high precision agriculture worldwide. 

👉 Read full article here to learn how AI is reshaping seed corn cultivation. 

Onion weeds treated by ARA (left) versus onion weeds treated with conventional sprayer (right)

Preliminary Results

The team noted a clear growth defect on the onions sprayed with the conventional sprayer, the onions are considerably smaller than the onions in the plots treated with ARA. Overall crop health with the ARA sprayer seems much higher than with the conventional spraying method, even when increasing the dosages of the herbicides used.

Further testing will be completed, and conclusive results are to be published towards the end of the season.

More articles about onions : > types-of-crops/onion/