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Intrarow Weed Removal in Broccoli and Transplanted Lettuce with an Intelligent Cultivator

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Ran N. Lati ,
Mark C. Siemens ,
John S. Rachuy  and
Steven A. Fennimore
Ran N. Lati*
Affiliation:
University of California, Davis, Department of Plant Sciences, 1636 East Alisal, Salinas, CA 93905
Mark C. Siemens
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, University of Arizona, Yuma Agricultural Center, 6425 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364
John S. Rachuy
Affiliation:
University of California, Davis, Department of Plant Sciences, 1636 East Alisal, Salinas, CA 93905
Steven A. Fennimore
Affiliation:
University of California, Davis, Department of Plant Sciences, 1636 East Alisal, Salinas, CA 93905
*
∗Corresponding author's E-mail: ranlati@gmail.com
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Abstract

The performance of the Robovator (F. Poulsen Engineering ApS, Hvals⊘, Denmark), a commercial robotic intrarow cultivator, was evaluated in direct-seeded broccoli and transplanted lettuce during 2014 and 2015 in Salinas, CA, and Yuma, AZ. The main objective was to evaluate the crop stand after cultivation, crop yield, and weed control efficacy of the Robovator compared with a standard cultivator. A second objective was to compare hand weeding time after cultivation within a complete integrated weed management (IWM) system. Herbicides were included as a component of the IWM system. The Robovator did not reduce crop stand or marketable yield compared with the standard cultivator. The Robovator removed 18 to 41% more weeds at moderate to high weed densities and reduced hand-weeding times by 20 to 45% compared with the standard cultivator. At low weed densities there was little difference between the cultivators in terms of weed control and hand-weeding times. The lower-hand weeding time with the Robovator treatments suggest that robotic intrarow cultivators can reduce dependency on hand weeding compared with standard cultivators. Technological advancements and price reductions of these types of machines will likely improve their weed removal efficacy and the long-term viability of IWM programs that will use them.

El desempeño del Robovator (F. Poulsen Engineering ApS, Hvals⊘, Denmark), un cultivador robótico comercial para uso dentro de las hileras de siembra, fue evaluado en brócoli de siembra directa y lechuga trasplantada durante 2014 y 2015 en Salinas, California y Yuma, Arizona. El objetivo principal fue evaluar el cultivo establecido después de la labranza, el rendimiento del cultivo, y la eficacia para el control de malezas del Robovator, al compararse con un cultivador estándar. Un segundo objetivo fue comparar el tiempo de deshierba manual después de la labranza dentro de un sistema de manejo integrado de malezas (IWM) completo. Se incluyó herbicidas como un componente del sistema IWM. El Robovator no redujo el número de plantas del cultivo establecidas ni el rendimiento comercializable al compararse con el cultivador estándar. El Robovator eliminó 18 a 41% más malezas en densidades de moderadas a altas y redujo el tiempo de deshierba manual en 30 a 45% al compararse con el cultivador estándar. A bajas densidades hubo pocas diferencias entre los cultivadores en términos de control de malezas y tiempos de deshierba manual. El mejor tiempo de deshierba manual con los tratamientos con Robovator sugiere que cultivadores robóticos para uso dentro de las hileras de siembra pueden reducir la dependencia en la deshierba manual en comparación con cultivadores estándar. Los avances tecnológicos y las reducciones en precio de este tipo de máquinas probablemente mejorará la eficacia en la remoción de malezas y la viabilidad en el largo plazo de los programas IWM que los usen.

Keywords

Broccoli, Brassica oleracea L. ‘Marathon’lettuce, Lactuca sativa L. ‘Sunbelt’AutomationbroccolicultivatorDCPAintegrated weed managementintrarow weed controllettucepronamiderobotic weedingvegetable
Type
Research Article
Information
Weed Technology , Volume 30 , Issue 3 , September 2016 , pp. 655 - 663
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

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Footnotes

Associate Editor for this paper: Bradley Hanson, University of California, Davis.

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