H2020 WeLASER Project: Sustainable Agricultural Weed Management Using Laser-Based Autonomous Tools

A growing global population demands increased food production, necessitating ever-increasing use of pesticides and fertilizers. In Europe alone, approximately 130 million tons of herbicides are used annually. These herbicides persist in the environment, destroy non-target plants and beneficial soil insects, and produce health effects in animals and humans, including cancer, birth defects, and endocrine disruption. Furthermore, existing herbicides are becoming increasingly ineffective due to the evolution and spread of herbicide-resistant weeds. The replacement of herbicides with automated mechanical systems is being explored, but mechanical solutions contribute to deteriorating soil properties, harming beneficial soil organisms, and providing poor results for row weeding.

The WeLASER solution focuses on non-chemical weed management based on the application of lethal doses of energy to weed meristems using a high-power laser source. An AI vision system discriminates between weedy crops and detects the position of weed meristems to target them with the laser using a laser scanner. An autonomous vehicle transports these systems throughout the field. An intelligent controller coordinates these systems and uses IoT and cloud computing techniques to manage agricultural knowledge. This technology will provide a clean solution to the weed problem and help significantly reduce chemicals in the environment.

The technologies required to build this system and the number of actors needed to bring it to market require the involvement of ten experienced groups that are not easily found nationally.

Furthermore, the cost of this high-tech equipment exceeds the funding levels of national organizations and requires the collaboration of large government institutions. Thus, with the support of the EC, WeLASER will bring together a large group of actors and stakeholders to advance the productivity demanded in agriculture, while simultaneously creating a more sustainable environment and improving the health of animals and humans.