Protecting your crops from weeds and pests doesn’t just require time, money, and manual labor — it often requires herbicides and pesticides, too.
If you’re looking to reduce your chemical use and labor costs without harming your crops, there’s good news. Carbon Robotics and TRIC Robotics, two companies that frequently appear at the World Ag Expo, have both developed AI-equipped machines that allow growers to automate some of the more manually-intensive parts of the job, from weed control to pest removal.
First up is the LaserWeeder. Developed by Carbon Robotics, the robot uses artificial intelligence and hi-res cameras to identify weeds before destroying them with a laser pulse. The company says its newest models can eliminate hundreds of thousands of weeds per hour, greatly reducing a grower’s dependence on manual labor.
To tackle issues like plant diseases and unwanted pests, TRIC Robotics has developed the Luna robot. These robots work at night, patrolling fields and using UV-C light to damage the DNA of fungal pathogens, mold, and pests. They’re also equipped with vacuums, which can remove insects from the crops themselves. According to early estimates, autonomous machines like the Luna and the LaserWeeder could reduce a growing operation’s weeding costs by 40%, creating savings of $250 per acre along the way.
In the meantime, our supply stores are here to provide you with the tools you need for a healthy growing operation. Come talk to us about integrated pest management, plant-safe pesticides, and weeding tools. We don’t just have the inventory you need — we have more than a century’s worth of expertise, as well.