Rahimi Azghadi, Mostafa, Olsen, Alex, Wood, Jake, Saleh, Alzayat, Calvert, Brendan, Granshaw, Terry, Fillols, Emilie, and Philippa, Bronson (2025) Precision robotic spot-spraying: Reducing herbicide use and enhancing environmental outcomes in sugarcane. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 235. 110365.

Preview

PDF (Published Version) - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (6MB) | Preview

Abstract

Precise robotic weed control plays an essential role in precision agriculture. It can help significantly reduce the environmental impact of herbicides while reducing weed management costs for farmers. In this paper, we demonstrate that a custom-designed robotic spot spraying tool based on computer vision and deep learning can significantly reduce herbicide usage on sugarcane farms. We present results from field trials that compare robotic spot spraying against industry-standard broadcast spraying, by measuri ng the weed control efficacy, the reduction in herbicide usage, and the water quality improvements in irrigation runoff. The average results across 25 hectares of field trials show that spot spraying on sugarcane farms is 97% as effective as broadcast spraying and reduces herbicide usage by 35%, proportionally to the weed density. For specific trial strips with lower weed pressure, spot spraying reduced herbicide usage by up to 65%. Water quality measurements of irrigation-induced runoff, three to six days after spraying, showed reductions in the mean concentration and mean load of herbicides of 39% and 54%, respectively, compared to broadcast spraying. These promising results reveal the capability of spot spraying technology to reduce herbicide usage on sugarcane farms without impacting weed control and potentially providing sustained water quality benefits.

Item ID:	89739
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1872-7107
Copyright Information:	© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Date Deposited:	27 Nov 2025 02:03
FoR Codes:	30 AGRICULTURAL, VETERINARY AND FOOD SCIENCES > 3004 Crop and pasture production > 300409 Crop and pasture protection (incl. pests, diseases and weeds) @ 50% 40 ENGINEERING > 4007 Control engineering, mechatronics and robotics > 400706 Field robotics @ 50%
SEO Codes:	26 PLANT PRODUCTION AND PLANT PRIMARY PRODUCTS > 2606 Industrial crops > 260607 Sugar @ 100%
	More Statistics