Forget Hand Weeding and Chemicals – Automated Weeding Machinery Realistic Option For Many Growers

In Kansas, Weed Technology, a journal of the nonprofit Weed Science Society of America, said that automated and robotic weeding technology is getting better and offering more choices, especially for specialty crop growers who have typically had to rely on hand weeding for their vegetables, flowers and herbs. Instead of hand weeding or widespread herbicide chemical use, many growers, including agronomic and organic crops, can instead choose high tech options like precision sprayers or automated machinery that can navigate in between crop rows and pull weeds it intelligently identifies. Some machinery is now outfitted with vision sensors and high tech controls so it only pulls weeds and doesn’t harm surrounding vegetation, making it a viable time saving option for growers who hand weed or spend lots of money on weed killer chemicals.