An apparatus and the associated method which includes means for controlling an invasive organism. The means including a trolling apparatus, for attachment to an associated vehicle. The trolling apparatus is pulled through a body of water in response to movement of the associated vehicle. The housing carries a plurality of UV-C light sources for producing UV-C light at a wavelength of substantially 254 nm, whereby invasive organisms proximate to light emanating from at least one of said UV-C light source whereby invasive organisms are exposed to UV-C light at a wavelength of substantially 254 nm resulting in controlling an invasive organism. Other embodiments, attract organisms such as mosquitos and then expose them to UV-C light. The invention facilitates reduced use of herbicide.

An autonomous ground maintenance system comprising a vehicle comprising a chassis supported upon a ground surface by ground support members, a container supported by the chassis, the container defining a discharge outlet operable to disperse treating material held within the container to a target area of the ground surface, a gate adapted to selectively open and close the discharge outlet, a sensor adapted to identify the target area, and an electronic controller supported by the chassis, the controller being in communication with the sensor and the gate. The controller is adapted to position the chassis at a location proximate the target area such that the discharge outlet is capable of delivering the treating material to the target area and energize the gate to open the discharge outlet.

A farming machine includes one or more image sensors for capturing an image as the farming machine moves through the field. A control system accesses an image captured by the one or more sensors and identifies a distance value associated with each pixel of the image. The distance value corresponds to a distance between a point and an object that the pixel represents. The control system classifies pixels in the image as crop, plant, ground, etc. based on the visual information in the pixels. The control system generates a labelled point cloud using the labels and depth information, and identifies features about the crops, plants, ground, etc. in the point cloud. The control system generates treatment actions based on any of the depth information, visual information, point cloud, and feature values. The control system actuates a treatment mechanism based on the classified pixels.

In order to improve weed management in a plantation field, a method for weed management is provided. The method may comprise collecting image data of the plantation field after being applied with a primary weed control technique, recognizing items indicative an occurrence of a weed in the collected image data, generating a weed pressure map indicative of a weed pressure in the plantation field based on the recognized items, determining one or a plurality of target areas for weed management in the generated weed pressure map, if the weed pressure of the one or the plurality of target areas extends a predetermined threshold and outputting a treatment control signal indicative of the one or the plurality of determined target areas, which when transmitted causes an activation of at least one weed treatment device to apply at least one secondary weed control technique to the one or the plurality of determined target areas, wherein the at least one secondary weed control technique is different from the primary weed control technique.

An agricultural implement that can concurrently cultivate and spray includes an implement support frame. A plurality of cultivator row units is coupled with the implement support frame. Each cultivator row unit of the plurality of cultivator row units includes a dispatching implement. A sprayer system coupled with the implement support frame includes a fluid holding tank coupled with the implement support frame. The sprayer system includes a fluid pump in fluid communication with the fluid holding tank. The sprayer system includes a plurality of fluid nozzles in fluid communication with the fluid holding tank. Each of the fluid nozzles of the plurality of fluid nozzles is configured to direct fluid between cultivator shovels of the plurality of cultivator row units.

The invention relates to a collaborative agricultural field processing control device intended to be mounted on an agricultural machine (1), composed of a set of detectors (2) for weeds or leaf symptoms of deficiencies or diseases collaborating in the decision to control the treatment devices (3) of the agricultural field.

A method for plant treatment, including: receiving a first measurement for a plant from a sensor as the sensor moves within a geographic area comprising a plurality of plants; in response to receipt of the first measurement and prior to receipt of a second measurement for a second plant of the plurality, determining a set of treatment mechanism operation parameters for the plant to optimize a geographic area output parameter based on the first measurement and historical measurements for the geographic area; determining an initial treatment parameter for the plant; and operating a treatment mechanism in a treatment mode based on the set of operating parameters in response to satisfaction of the initial treatment parameter.

The present invention is directed to a needle retention assembly, an injectate delivery system, a needle, and a safety mechanism, all of which are for use with an injection device. The needle retention assembly includes a needle offset nut which is configured to removably attach to a needle retention nut and to provide support to the needle. The injectate delivery system includes an injectate holding compartment, a plunger, and a resilient member. The needle has a sidewall defining a longitudinal channel and includes at least two orifices in the sidewall, but does not include an orifice at a tip of the needle. The safety mechanism includes a dual switch that includes two switch elements that are each positioned on opposing sides of a handle of the injection device.

An apparatus for controlling weeds, which includes a tine formation adapted to remove or disrupt targeted weeds, and a tine support assembly adapted to support the tine for movement about a first control axis in a generally vertical direction between an engaged position wherein the tine formation in use contacts a ground surface for removal or disruption of targeted weeds and a disengaged position wherein the tine formation is substantially retracted from the ground surface. The tine support assembly is further adapted to support the tine for movement about a second control axis in a generally horizontal direction. The tine support assembly further includes a first actuation mechanism adapted to effect movement of the tine about the first control axis, and a second actuation mechanism adapted to effect movement of the tine about the second control axis. The apparatus also includes a sensing system for sensing aspects of an environment and generating data indicative thereof, and a classification system for identifying target weeds within the environment on the basis of the data from the sensing system. A control system is adapted to activate the first and second actuation mechanisms of the tine support assembly in accordance with a predetermined control logic thereby sequentially to position the tine for disruptive contact with the targeted weeds.

The present disclosure is directed to a method for applying an agrochemical to an agricultural area of interest based on information generated from a remote sensing survey. A remote sensing survey is performed within or adjacent to the agricultural area of interest wherein the survey generates remotely sensed data. The remotely sensed data can be analyzed and/or interpreted to determine whether to apply an agrochemical based on an insect presence within or adjacent to the agricultural area of interest.