Illini looking at robotic weeders in row crops
University of Illinois writer Marianne Stein reports that agricultural robotics for mechanical weeding is an emerging technology, and a recently published study looks at the types of farmers and fields more likely to adopt weeding robots and at what stage of resistance development.
The study evaluated small, lightweight mechanical weeding robots for controlling common waterhemp in corn crops.
According to Stein, University of Illinois researchers examined the effect of two different types of weed management strategies: myopic management, which considers one year at a time, and forward-looking management, which accounts for future outcomes.
The researchers also considered weed seed density, weed resistance level, and economic thresholds that would trigger the adoption of robotic weeding.
You can read the full article here.
John Deere, Mississippi State University join forces on autonomous technology
Mississippi State Universities’ (MSU) Meg Henderson reports MSU is partnering with John Deere through a master research agreement, establishing a framework for the university’s Agricultural Autonomy Institute (AAI) to help develop technology to automate critical steps in the production of cotton and other crops.
Henderson writes that the partnership will help AAI advance its mission of attracting companies in the ag autonomy industry to Mississippi, creating options for research and startups, and developing and training a Mississippi-based ag autonomy workforce.
Monarch MKV EV tractor drops below $30K, now EQIP eligible
Monarch’s MKV tractor, the world’s first 100% electric, driver-optional smart tractor is now available for as low as $26,200 depending on your region and EQIP eligibility, according to a recent email bulletin from the manufacturer.
The company says the now nationwide Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is currently offering over $8.4 billion over the next five years to farmers that adopt sustainable solutions to mitigate natural resource concerns. The MK-V tractor qualifies for this program, according to Monarch.
Follow this link to learn more and get in touch with Monarch to see if you’re eligible.
Three ag innovations named Time Magazine “Best Inventions of 2024”
Time Magazine publishes an annual list of products its editors deem the best technological breakthroughs of the year.
The 2024 list was released on October 30 and it highlights InnerPlant’s digital ecosystem, CropVoice, and Guardian Agriculture’s SC1 electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) spray drone.
The list also honors Pivot Bio’s N-Ovator program as a top sustainability invention.
InnerPlant announced CropVoice this summer and we wrote about the startup’s $30 million Series B fund raise. The article includes a farmer perspective on why InnerPlant is such a remarkable technological breakthrough.
RELATED: Inside InnerPlant’s Farmer-Led Investment Run and Why It’s Better Than Traditional VC
CEO Shely Aronov discusssed the honor and CropVoice briefly in a recent Linkedin post. She can explain CropVoice better than we can:
“For the first time in agriculture’s 10,000-year history, CropVoice provides farmers with actionable data directly from plants, so they know exactly what crops need and when. This early detection system tied directly to plants’ physiological responses, enables farmers to take early action that will protect yields, decrease chemical use, and improve the resiliency of their farms.”
Guardian Agriculture’s SC1 is said to be the first eVTOL drone to receive FAA approval. According to the article “the fully autonomous vehicle carries up to 200 pounds of fertilizer or pesticides and uses on-board technology to precisely cover 60 acres per hour.”
Check out Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2024 list here.
Topcon announces update to its corrections networks out west
Topcon Positioning Systems says it has made several regional additions to its reference station service, Topnet Live.
New service areas are available through expansion within California, Hawaii, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Washington, with 180 full-wave geodetic reference stations added to the network.
Network corrections offer centimeter accuracy for high-end engineering, surveying, construction and agriculture measurement and guidance systems. This service is also utilized in many other markets, such as the turf industry, for automated mowing and input applications, line marking and imaging, as well as UAV operation for mapping and delivery.
