Comparing Sensor-Based Adjustment of Weed Harrowing Intensity with Conventional Harrowing under Heterogeneous Field Conditions

Setting the right intensity is crucial for the success of post-emergence weed harrowing in cereals. The percentage of crop soil cover (CSC) correlates with the selectivity of weed harrowing. Therefore, real-time camera-based measurements of CSC offer a novel approach to automatically adjust the inte...

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Main Authors: Michael Spaeth, Matthias Schumacher, Roland Gerhards
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-08-01
Series:Agronomy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/8/1605
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author Michael Spaeth
Matthias Schumacher
Roland Gerhards
author_facet Michael Spaeth
Matthias Schumacher
Roland Gerhards
author_sort Michael Spaeth
collection DOAJ
description Setting the right intensity is crucial for the success of post-emergence weed harrowing in cereals. The percentage of crop soil cover (CSC) correlates with the selectivity of weed harrowing. Therefore, real-time camera-based measurements of CSC offer a novel approach to automatically adjust the intensity of harrowing. The intensity of harrowing is varied by hydraulic steering of the tine angle. Five field experiments in cereals were conducted at three locations in southwestern Germany in 2019 and 2020 to measure the effect of camera-based harrowing (2020) and conventional harrowing on weed control efficacy (WCE), crop density, and grain yield. For this purpose, pair-wise comparisons of three fixed harrowing intensities (10°, 40°, and 70° tine angle) and three predefined CSC thresholds (CSC of 10%, 20%, and 60%) were realized in randomized complete block designs. Camera-based intensity adjustment resulted in more homogeneous CSC across the whole plot (6–16% less standard deviation variation) compared to conventional fixed settings of the tine angle. Crop density, WCE, crop biomass, and grain yield were significantly higher for camera-based harrowing than for conventional harrowing. WCE and yields of all automatic adjusted harrowing treatments were equal to the herbicide control plots. Camera-based harrowing provides a robust technology for effective weed management with a lower risk of crop damage than conventional harrowing.
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spelling doaj.art-7f55ab6b88854360ad365926251120ea2023-11-22T06:26:18ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952021-08-01118160510.3390/agronomy11081605Comparing Sensor-Based Adjustment of Weed Harrowing Intensity with Conventional Harrowing under Heterogeneous Field ConditionsMichael Spaeth0Matthias Schumacher1Roland Gerhards2Department of Weed Science, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanyDepartment of Weed Science, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanyDepartment of Weed Science, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanySetting the right intensity is crucial for the success of post-emergence weed harrowing in cereals. The percentage of crop soil cover (CSC) correlates with the selectivity of weed harrowing. Therefore, real-time camera-based measurements of CSC offer a novel approach to automatically adjust the intensity of harrowing. The intensity of harrowing is varied by hydraulic steering of the tine angle. Five field experiments in cereals were conducted at three locations in southwestern Germany in 2019 and 2020 to measure the effect of camera-based harrowing (2020) and conventional harrowing on weed control efficacy (WCE), crop density, and grain yield. For this purpose, pair-wise comparisons of three fixed harrowing intensities (10°, 40°, and 70° tine angle) and three predefined CSC thresholds (CSC of 10%, 20%, and 60%) were realized in randomized complete block designs. Camera-based intensity adjustment resulted in more homogeneous CSC across the whole plot (6–16% less standard deviation variation) compared to conventional fixed settings of the tine angle. Crop density, WCE, crop biomass, and grain yield were significantly higher for camera-based harrowing than for conventional harrowing. WCE and yields of all automatic adjusted harrowing treatments were equal to the herbicide control plots. Camera-based harrowing provides a robust technology for effective weed management with a lower risk of crop damage than conventional harrowing.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/8/1605decision support systemdigital farmingmachine visionorganic farmingsite-specific
spellingShingle Michael Spaeth
Matthias Schumacher
Roland Gerhards
Comparing Sensor-Based Adjustment of Weed Harrowing Intensity with Conventional Harrowing under Heterogeneous Field Conditions
Agronomy
decision support system
digital farming
machine vision
organic farming
site-specific
title Comparing Sensor-Based Adjustment of Weed Harrowing Intensity with Conventional Harrowing under Heterogeneous Field Conditions
title_full Comparing Sensor-Based Adjustment of Weed Harrowing Intensity with Conventional Harrowing under Heterogeneous Field Conditions
title_fullStr Comparing Sensor-Based Adjustment of Weed Harrowing Intensity with Conventional Harrowing under Heterogeneous Field Conditions
title_full_unstemmed Comparing Sensor-Based Adjustment of Weed Harrowing Intensity with Conventional Harrowing under Heterogeneous Field Conditions
title_short Comparing Sensor-Based Adjustment of Weed Harrowing Intensity with Conventional Harrowing under Heterogeneous Field Conditions
title_sort comparing sensor based adjustment of weed harrowing intensity with conventional harrowing under heterogeneous field conditions
topic decision support system
digital farming
machine vision
organic farming
site-specific
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/8/1605
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AT rolandgerhards comparingsensorbasedadjustmentofweedharrowingintensitywithconventionalharrowingunderheterogeneousfieldconditions