Mechanical weeding specialist Stout has developed a fertiliser application system for its so-called “smart cultivator”, allowing the camera-guided tool to perform three functions in a single pass.

The first is inter-row cultivating, with a series of shares slicing and lifting the soil between the veg rows.

A side-shifting function allows each unit to slide along a box-section frame, keeping it centred and a safe distance from the crop.

See also: Spot spraying option coming to John Deere’s trailed R-series

The legs also carry three nozzles, fed by a front-mounted fertiliser tank, that allow them to simultaneously give plants a nutrition boost as they pass.

The final part of the package is a series of crab-like, stainless-steel “claws” that pinch out weeds – roots and all.

Working depth of the pincers can be adjusted individually on winding handles, and there’s also scope to set how close they are permitted to get to the growing crop via an implement-mounted touchscreen.

Cameras

The chemical-free system relies wholly on AI – that’s artificial intelligence, not active ingredients – to maximise the weed kill rate in crops up to 15cm tall.

This starts with a row of colour cameras, each with a metre-wide field of vision.

The footage is processed in a split second to determine when and where weed-plucking action is required, and operators have access to a live in-cab feed that allows them to conduct their own visual checks without leaving the comfort of their seat.

This system is also able to assess crop plant size and automatically alter the fertiliser application rate within a defined range, which, the company says, can save a significant amount of money over liberal broadcasting.

Once back in the office, the raw data can be crunched to assess plant count, size and spacing, and form a heat map-style display of weeds to help inform future cropping plans. 

© MAG/Oliver Mark

Hydraulic power

As standard, the machine uses a pto connection to drive an on-board hydraulic pump.

However, it can now be specced – or retrofitted – with “smart power hydraulics” that instead have it running straight off the tractor’s rear spool valves.

Perks of this update are myriad, says Stout – engine rpm can be reduced, which cuts noise and delivers estimated fuel savings of 30%, there are fewer moving parts and less maintenance to worry about, and it carves about 140kg off the rig’s total weight.

List price of the standard 3m version is about US$300,000 (£230,000) – although models up to 6m wide are available – and output is 1-2 acres an hour. Unusually, there is currently no ongoing subscription to factor in.

The company has sold some 100 machines since launching in 2020, several of which are operated in the UK by G’s Growers and UK Planter Solutions.