Pesticides Research, 97 – Autonomous Weeder for Christmas Trees – Basic Development and Tests

Autonomous Weeder for Christmas Trees – Basic Development and Tests

Preface

Agriculture, horticulture and forestry have in the past benefited from a succession of technological developments that have brought greater productivity and economic efficiency. Historically, the emphasis of these developments has been on the mechanisation to increase work rates through use of larger and more powerful machines. The newer information based technologies have already been used for some time to improve functions and controls of machinery, especially for spatial variation of treatments or commonly known as Precision Farming. These technologies have now reached a stage, which seems to make it realistic to develop autonomous field machinery and methods for individual treatment of plants. Christmas trees are, because of their size and the way they are grown, well-suited for a first attempt, as it is impossible to use standard agricultural machinery for non-chemical treatments.

The previous feasibility study of developing an autonomous weeder for Christmas trees (Have et al. 2002) led to the conclusion, that it would be realistic, and that it would lead to a number of environmental benefits compared to the present practise of using frequent herbicide applications.

On the basis of these results, the present development was carried out in collaboration between the AgroTechnology group and the Research Centre of Forestry and Landscape, of the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Denmark.

The results are positive and this phase of the development work is completed. Although the experimental weeder is able to operate as planned, more work is needed before it is ready for commercialisation.

The authors would like to acknowledge with thanks the valuable contributions and assistance we have received from:

Associate Professor Hans-Werner Griepentrog: Ideas and technical support.
Technical assistant Allan Hansen: Modification of the weeder platform.
Technical assistant Jesper Resting Jeppesen: Design and construction of electronics and assistance in tests.
Christmas tree grower Erik Anderson for his help and support for the practical tests of the weeder in his Christmas tree plantation.

The study was supported financially by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency of the Ministry of Environment.