Agronomic and Technical Evaluation of Herbicide Spot Spraying in Maize Based on High-Resolution Aerial Weed Maps-An On-Farm Trial.

Spot spraying can significantly reduce herbicide use while maintaining equal weed control efficacy as a broadcast application of herbicides. Several online spot-spraying systems have been developed, with sensors mounted on the sprayer or by recording the RTK-GNSS position of each crop seed. In this study, spot spraying was realized offline based on georeferenced unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) images with high spatial resolution.

Evaluation of Vineyard Cropping Systems Using On-Board RGB-Depth Perception.

A non-destructive measuring technique was applied to test major vine geometric traits on measurements collected by a contactless sensor. Three-dimensional optical sensors have evolved over the past decade, and these advancements may be useful in improving phenomics technologies for other crops, such as woody perennials. Red, green and blue-depth (RGB-D) cameras, namely Microsoft Kinect, have a significant influence on recent computer vision and robotics research.

Low-Cost Three-Dimensional Modeling of Crop Plants.

Plant modeling can provide a more detailed overview regarding the basis of plant development throughout the life cycle. Three-dimensional processing algorithms are rapidly expanding in plant phenotyping programmes and in decision-making for agronomic management. Several methods have already been tested, but for practical implementations the trade-off between equipment cost, computational resources needed and the fidelity and accuracy in the reconstruction of the end-details needs to be assessed and quantified.

Insecticidal effect and impact of fitness of three diatomaceous earths on different maize hybrids for the eco-friendly control of the invasive stored-product pest Prostephanus truncatus (Horn).

Diatomaceous earths (DEs) are able to successfully protect grain commodities from noxious stored-product insect and mite infestations; however, their effectiveness may be moderated by the grain hybrid or variety they are applied to. There is a gap of information on the comparison of the efficacy of different DEs when are applied on different maize hybrids against Prostephanus truncatus (Horn). Therefore, here we tested three commercially available DEs (DEA-P at 75 and 150 ppm, Protect-It at 500 ppm, and PyriSec at 500 ppm) on five different maize hybrids (Calaria, Doxa, Rio Grande, Sisco, and Studio) for the control of P.

A non-chemical system for online weed control.

Non-chemical weed control methods need to be directed towards a site-specific weeding approach, in order to be able to compete the conventional herbicide equivalents. A system for online weed control was developed. It automatically adjusts the tine angle of a harrow and creates different levels of intensity: from gentle to aggressive.

Potential use of ground-based sensor technologies for weed detection.

Site-specific weed management is the part of precision agriculture (PA) that tries to effectively control weed infestations with the least economical and environmental burdens. This can be achieved with the aid of ground-based or near-range sensors in combination with decision rules and precise application technologies. Near-range sensor technologies, developed for mounting on a vehicle, have been emerging for PA applications during the last three decades.

Effect of temperature and commodity on insecticidal efficacy of spinosad dust against Sitophilus oryzae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and Rhyzopertha dominica (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae).

The insecticidal effect of spinosad dust, a formulation that contains 0.125% spinosad, was evaluated against adults of Sitophilus oryzae (L.) and Rhyzopertha dominica (F.

Influence of temperature and humidity on insecticidal effect of three diatomaceous earth formulations against larger grain borer (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae).

Laboratory experiments were carried out to evaluated three diatomaceous earth (DE) formulations--Protect-It, PyriSec (at dose rates 500, 1000, and 1500 ppm), and DEA-P (at dose rates 75, 150, and 500 ppm)--against the larger grain borer, Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae), adults in stored maize, Zea mays L., at three temperatures (20, 25, and 30 degrees C) and two relative humidity (RH) levels (55 and 75%). At these conditions, the capability of progeny production in the treated substrate also was assessed.