Agrifac smart camera seeks weeds

A REDUCTION in herbicide use by as much as 90 per cent is one of the exciting findings to come from Australian trials of new weed-seeking technology developed in the Netherlands.

Keeping watch: Smart cameras mounted on the spray booms identify what stays and what goes.

A REDUCTION in herbicide use by as much as 90 per cent is one of the exciting findings to come from Australian trials of new weed-seeking technology developed in the Netherlands.

With a data-led revolution redefining the term “precision agriculture”, Dutch machinery company Agrifac has jumped on board with the development of its AiCPlus camera weed identification system, being trialled under hotter, drier broad­acre conditions in Western Australia.

The AiCPlus development relies on “smart” cameras finding weeds in crops using built-in artificial intelligence software.

Agrifac product manager, Steven Koop, said the cameras are able to “recognise and differentiate” between background, crop and weeds.

Agrifac has jumped on board new weed-seeking technology with the development of its AiCPlus camera weed identification system.

Mr Koop says the applications and possibilities from the development of such technology will enable farmers to, for example, utilise different chemical application rates depending on the type of weed species and can also generate a map of weed presence in each paddock.

AiCPlus enables crop-specific spraying which relies on crop management algorithms developed by farmers. AiCPlus cameras are mounted on every three metres of the boom spray equipment to analyse and interpret plants within the crop. The company has recently brought a demonstration machine to different regions of Western Australia to trial the technology controlling wild radish in wheat crops.

The trials have so far realised a 90 per cent reduction in chemical use when used in a two-spray strategy — firstly small weeds are sprayed with conventional methods then a second spray is undertaken using robust chemicals.

Trials are under way in the Netherlands to control broadleaf “dock” weeds in pasture and grasslands, which are particularly hard to manage.

Using the AiCPlus technology Agrifac says the boom spray nozzles only open on the weeds so spraying does not affect the growth of the pasture and preserves the growth of clover.

The company plans to bring more machines to Australia this summer for night spraying trials.

Agrifac recently launched a new farming management concept — NEED Farming — which it says is based on observing, measuring and responding to differences in crops and “combines the knowledge of the farmer with technology”.