🌾 AI-driven weed controllers reduce the need for herbicides by 90%

• New technology reduces herbicide use by up to 90 percent.
• AI-controlled cameras identify weeds for precision treatment.
• Using less herbicide through precision applications can help lower costs for growers.

Precision treatment reduces chemical use

The agricultural sector is moving towards more precise and efficient use of herbicides. New technology with AI-driven cameras can identify and treat weeds selectively, drastically reducing the amount of chemicals used, Bloomberg reports.

John Deere, the world's largest tractor manufacturer, is now selling an advanced plant protection sprayer that the company says can reduce chemical use by up to 77 percent through AI and machine learning.

Israeli company Greeneye Technology has opened its first store in the US to sell AI-driven spray booms that can be mounted on existing machines. The company plans to expand to eight more states next year.

Brazilian Solinftec manufactures robot sprayers at a factory in Indiana that the company says allows growers to reduce herbicide volumes by more than 90 percent.

Major economic and environmental benefits

The plant protection market was valued at approximately $79 billion in 2022, with herbicides accounting for almost half of the total market. In the US, herbicides are used on 96 percent of cultivated corn acreage.

Using less herbicide through precision applications can help lower costs for growers whose overall incomes are expected to decline slightly in 2024. There are also environmental reasons to consider a reduction. So-called drift from one field to another can harm crops and animals, providing incentives for more targeted use.

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