Field robots
Sugarbeet Weeding Challenge
Sustainable, efficient and economical: KWS is testing robots to control weeds in sugarbeet fields in cooperation with the Institute of Sugarbeet Research from the University of Göttingen. Initial results are promising.
They’re called “farming revolution,” “FarmDroid” and “ecoRobotix” – and even though their names sound like something out of “Star Wars,” science fiction and futurology, their task is down to earth: The three digital robotic systems are intended to remove weeds on sugarbeet fields – as precisely and as quickly as possible.
KWS launched its “Future Live – Robotic Weeding in the Field” project around three years ago. The initiative has its roots in the Digital Innovation Accelerator, an agile team at KWS that deals with new digital technologies for agriculture. The various systems are now being tested under the leadership of the Sugarbeet Business Development department as part of FarmerSpace, a trial platform for digital crop protection.
Digital technology to combat weeds
The goal of the initiative, which is funded by the German Ministry of Food and Agriculture, is to test the use of new digital technologies in practical farming. That includes new methods of weed control in sugarbeet cultivation. “That’s the main cost factor in growing sugarbeet,” says Stefan Meldau, who manages the overall project at Sugarbeet Business Development. “We want to show farmers a perspective for controlling weeds in their sugarbeet fields in a sustainable way.”
These are the three robot systems
“FarmDroid FR20” on the field in Wiebrechtshausen
“ecoRobotix” on a field in Wetze
“farming revolution” on a field in Anklam
A look at what is happening in Brussels shows just how important a new, effective and eco-friendly way of controlling weeds is. Around 90% of sugarbeet area in Europe is currently treated with herbicides. However, it’s not possible to predict how long these agents will still be permitted. The European Union’s Farm to Fork Strategy envisages cutting the use of pesticides in half by 2030. “We therefore need long-term alternatives for weed control,” says Meldau.
How artificial intelligence helps
Less pesticide, fewer weeds: That equation may seem paradoxical at first sight, but might actually work out thanks to artificial intelligence. Key components of high-precision digital tools are sensor and robotic systems, machine learning methods, and detailed data analytics. The field robot “FarmDroid,” for example, digitally captures the spot where seed is sown and later removes weeds mechanically based on information on the plant’s location. The system from “farming revolution” distinguishes weeds from sugarbeet with the aid of a camera system and controls its mechanical tools on that basis.
KWS launched the practical phase of the “Future Live – Robotic Weeding in the Field” project on the sugarbeet fields of the Wiebrechtshausen monastery estate in 2020. Axel Altenweger and his employees tend around 400 hectares of ecological trial and cultivation areas there. As is always the case in organic farming, weeds are removed by hoeing machines, flame weeding and, above all in rows, by hand. There are what is termed hand-hoe crews who move over the fields, destroying the weeds manually. That costs a lot of money. “You can assume you need up to 200 hours to clear one hectare. If robots take care of that work, farmers can focus on their other tasks,” says Altenweger.
▶ Straight from the field: Stefan Meldau explains how the robots work
The project is already a success
Apart from the tests as part of FarmerSpace, KWS is supporting use of selected robotic systems directly at farms. The “farming revolution” robot is undergoing tests near the Hanseatic town of Anklam in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania from April to June 2021 to determine whether it is suitable for everyday use. The local sugar factory of the Cosun Beet Company, likewise based in Anklam, is also involved in this project. Steffen Ernst, head of the sugarbeet consulting office in Anklam, Güstrow and Schleswig-Holstein, believes the robot project has already proven a success. The “farming revolution” system is not yet fully mature; the robots still overlook some weeds, for example. “We need to improve their precision and productivity further so that they can be used efficiently,” says Ernst. However, he adds, their use in combination with other technologies is highly promising.
Stefan Meldau is already thinking about the next steps in his project. In North America, too, there are many start-ups developing innovative high-precision weed control systems. KWS wants to test them in Moorhead, Minnesota, starting in 2022. “Those are key milestones toward more sustainable and climate-friendly agriculture. I’m delighted that KWS is helping farmers on this path with innovative solutions.” |
Contact:
Stefan Meldau
stefan.meldau@kws.com
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