Performance evaluation of a crop/weed discriminating microsprayer

An intelligent real-time microspraying weed control system was developed. The system distinguishes between weed and crop plants and a herbicide (glyphosate) is selectively applied to the detected weed plants. The vision system captures 40 RGB images per second, each covering 140 mm by 105 mm with an image resolution of 800 x 600 pixels. From the captured images the forward velocity is estimated and the spraycommands for the microsprayer are calculated. Crop and weed plants are identified in the image, and weed plants are sprayed. Performance of the microsprayer system was evaluated under laboratory conditions simulating field conditions. A combination of maize (Zea mays L), oilseed rape (Brassica napus L) and scentless mayweed (Matricaria inodora L) plants, in growth stage BBCH10, was placed in pots, which were then treated by the microspray system. Maize simulated crop plants, while the other species simulated weeds. The experiment were conducted at a velocity of 0.5 m/s. Two weeks after spraying, the fraction of injured plants was determined visually. None of the crop plants were harmed while 94% of the oilseed rape and 37% of the scentless mayweed plants were significantly limited in their growth. Given the size and shape of the scentless mayweed plants and the microsprayer geometry it was calculated that the microsprayer could only hit 64% of the scentless mayweed plants. The system was able to effectively control weeds larger than 11 mm x 11 mm. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.