There is proposed an apparatus for introducing a chemical into a plant tissue of a target plant, including a body being graspable by a user, and an applicator portion attachable to or forming a part of the body, the applicator portion including a reservoir chamber for holding the chemical, and one or more elongate porous piercing elements, in fluid communication with the reservoir chamber, being configured to pierce the plant tissue, wherein the chemical within the reservoir chamber is drawn or moves into the one or more elongate porous piercing elements, such that as the one or more elongate porous piercing elements penetrate into or through the plant tissue the chemical is applied to an edge of a resultant incision therein.

A method comprising: activating a strobed or pulsed illumination source to produce illuminating light; polarising the illuminating light in a first polarisation axis; illuminating at least part of a tall plant crop with the polarised illuminating light to produce reflected illuminating light; polarising the reflected illuminating light in a second polarisation axis transverse to the first polarisation axis produce cross-polarised reflected illuminating light; capturing an image of at least part of the tall plant crop using the cross-polarised reflected illuminating light; and analysing the captured image to determine a condition of the tall plant crop. Also a vehicle mounted image capture system, a vehicle mounted spraying system and a plant health management system.

A manually controlled and operable self-propelled seed bed sterilization system and method is provided for preventing weeds from growth in seed beds. The system includes a wheel driven shuttle vehicle having a hot water reservoir, a hot water applicator manifold housing, a dual-function pump and a controllable valve. A self-contained mobile hot water supply vehicle accompanies the shuttle vehicle and has a water heater with hose connections to the reservoir of the shuttle vehicle to provide a continuous water flow path. The burner of the water heater is controlled to heat the water in the range of about 205-207 degrees F. but below the boiling point of water not to create steam. The shuttle vehicle is displaced over the seed bed at a constant drive speed by an electric motor driven by a gas generator. An operator person guides the shuttle vehicle over the seed bed.

A manually controlled and operable self-propelled seed bed sterilization system and method is provided for preventing weeds from growth in seed beds. The system includes a wheel driven shuttle vehicle having a hot water reservoir, a hot water applicator manifold housing, a dual-function pump and a controllable valve. A self-contained mobile hot water supply vehicle accompanies the shuttle vehicle and has a water heater with hose connections to the reservoir of the shuttle vehicle to provide a continuous water flow path. The burner of the water heater is controlled to heat the water in the range of about 205-207 degrees F. but below the boiling point of water not to create steam. The shuttle vehicle is displaced over the seed bed at a constant drive speed by an electric motor driven by a gas generator. An operator person guides the shuttle vehicle over the seed bed.

A system for spraying plants comprises a location-determining receiver for estimating a position of a sprayer with respect to one or more rows of plants. A distance sensor is arranged to measure a distance between a nozzle assembly and a plant row segment. A guidance module is adapted to align the nozzle assembly with a target path between the rows of plants, such as a centered path between the rows, or offset between the rows of the plants. A first nozzle is targeted toward a first zone with respect to the plant row segment based on a first spray pattern of the first nozzle. A second nozzle is targeted toward a second zone with respect to the plant row segment based on a second spray pattern of the second nozzle. A nozzle selection module for selecting automatically a first nozzle or a second nozzle based on maximum coverage of a target zone around the plant segment based on the first zone, the second zone, and the measured distance.

A modular system includes a hub and a set of modules removably coupled to the hub. The modules are physically coupled to the frame relative to each other so that each module can operate with respect to a different row of a field. An individual module includes a sensor for capturing field measurement data of individual plants along a row as the modular system moves through the geographic region. An individual module further includes a treatment mechanism for applying a treatment to the individual plants of the row based on the field measurement data before the modular system passes by the individual plants. An individual module further includes a computing device that determines the treatment based on the field measurement data and communicates data to the hub. The hub is communicatively coupled to the modules, so that it may exchange data between the modules and with a remote computing system.

A modular system includes a hub and a set of modules removably coupled to the hub. The modules are physically coupled to the frame relative to each other so that each module can operate with respect to a different row of a field. An individual module includes a sensor for capturing field measurement data of individual plants along a row as the modular system moves through the geographic region. An individual module further includes a treatment mechanism for applying a treatment to the individual plants of the row based on the field measurement data before the modular system passes by the individual plants. An individual module further includes a computing device that determines the treatment based on the field measurement data and communicates data to the hub. The hub is communicatively coupled to the modules, so that it may exchange data between the modules and with a remote computing system.

An improvement to a roadside sprayer fixates spray nozzles on a registration plate. The registration plate may include integral tabs depending on the application. Inclination of the tabs is adjustable to place streams and droplets in a desired swath coverage. With the nozzles rigidly mounted onto the plate, the entire plate is notated. The use of the registration plate in a spray unit creates a uniform nutation among the nozzles, thereby reducing variability in droplet placement, and providing a more predictable spray from the nozzles. In other embodiments, the spray unit is utilized in a spray system adaptable to service vehicles, and may be utilized in conjunction with a vegetation engagement device, such as a cutter to engage multiple zones of a roadway right-of-way. Additionally, an improved spray unit includes an electromagnetic field and an attractor to generate plate motion.

Problem To provide an information processor capable of effectively reducing a risk of pest damage to produce. Solution An information processor 10 predicts a risk of pest damage to produce, the information processor comprising: a prediction unit for predicting an effect of reducing the pest damage risk for each of a plurality of countermeasure candidates for changing at least one influencing parameter affecting the pest damage risk; and a selection unit for selecting a countermeasure from among the plurality of countermeasure candidates while prioritizing a countermeasure having a higher effect of reducing the pest damage risk, on the basis of a result of predicting the effect of reducing the pest damage risk afforded by the prediction unit.

Problem To provide an information processor capable of effectively reducing a risk of pest damage to produce. Solution An information processor 10 predicts a risk of pest damage to produce, the information processor comprising: a prediction unit for predicting an effect of reducing the pest damage risk for each of a plurality of countermeasure candidates for changing at least one influencing parameter affecting the pest damage risk; and a selection unit for selecting a countermeasure from among the plurality of countermeasure candidates while prioritizing a countermeasure having a higher effect of reducing the pest damage risk, on the basis of a result of predicting the effect of reducing the pest damage risk afforded by the prediction unit.