METHOD FOR APPLYING TWO DIFFERENT SPRAYS TO AGRICULTURAL LAND

Abstract

A method for applying two different sprays to agricultural land using an agricultural spraying device that includes a first spray circuit having a first spray tank and a first spray nozzle unit, and includes a second spray circuit, which is fluidically separate from the first spray circuit and has a second spray tank and a second spray nozzle unit. The method includes providing a first spray in the first spray tank. The method also includes providing a second spray in the second spray tank. The method also includes applying either the first spray using the first spray nozzle unit or the second spray using the second spray nozzle unit to field portions of the agricultural land depending on whether the at least one defined weed is present in each field portion.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A method for applying two different sprays to agricultural land using an agricultural spraying device that includes a first spray circuit having a first spray tank and a first spray nozzle unit, and includes a second spray circuit, which is fluidically separate from the first spray circuit and has a second spray tank and a second spray nozzle unit, the method comprising the following steps: providing a first spray in the first spray tank of the first spray circuit of the spraying device, wherein the first spray includes or consists of: (i) at least one soil-active, plant protection product that is to be applied in a blanket manner, and (ii) at least one selective foliar-active and/or at least one non-selective foliar-active herbicide; providing a second spray in the second spray tank of the second spray circuit of the spraying device, wherein the second spray includes or consists of: (i) the same at least one soil-active plant protection product that is to be applied in a blanket manner, and the same at least one selective foliar-active, and/or (ii) the same at least one non-selective herbicide corresponding to the first spray, and additionally at least one foliar-active, herbicide that is not contained in the first spray and is selective for at least one defined weed; and applying either the first spray using the first spray nozzle unit or the second spray using the second spray nozzle unit to field portions of the agricultural land depending on whether the at least one defined weed is present in each field portion.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising: capturing the field portions of the agricultural land using an optical capturing unit of the agricultural spraying device to obtain in each case image information for identifying the at least one defined weed.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising: (i) identifying the at least one defined weed in the captured field portions by using the corresponding image information by way of a control unit of the agricultural spraying device, and/or (ii) reading out and/or receiving corresponding position information of the at least one defined weed in relation to the agricultural land.

15. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein, in the applying step, the first spray is applied when there is none of the at least one defined weed present and/or identified in the relevant field portion.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein, in the applying step, the second spray is applied when at least one occurrence of the at least one defined weed is present and/or identified.

17. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the herbicide of the second spray is selective for a defined group of weeds.

18. A control unit configured to: receive image information that represents field portions of agricultural land that have been captured using an optical capturing unit of an agricultural spraying device; identify at least one defined weed in the captured field portions by using the image information; and output a control signal, depending on whether at least one occurrence of the at least one defined weed is identified, selectively to: a first spray nozzle unit of the agricultural spraying device, to apply a first spray from a first spray tank via a first spray circuit of the agricultural spraying device to a relevant captured field portion, wherein the first spray includes or consists of: (i) at least one soil-active, plant protection product that is to be applied in a blanket manner, and (ii) at least one selective foliar-active, and/or at least one non-selective, foliar-active herbicide; or a second spray nozzle unit of the agricultural spraying device, to apply a second spray from a second spray tank via a second spray circuit, which is fluidically separate from the first spray circuit, of the agricultural spraying device to the relevant captured field portion, wherein the second spray includes or consists of: (i) the same at least one soil-active, plant protection product that is to be applied in a blanket manner, and (ii) the same at least one selective foliar-active, and/or the same at least one non-selective foliar-active, herbicide corresponding to the first spray, and additionally at least one foliar-active herbicide that is not contained in the first spray and is selective for at least one defined weed.

19. An agricultural spraying device for applying two different sprays to agricultural land, comprising: a first spray circuit including a first spray tank and a first spray nozzle unit; a second spray circuit, which is fluidically separate from the first spray circuit and includes a second spray tank and a second spray nozzle unit; an optical capturing unit configured to capture field portions of the agricultural land; and a control unit configured to: receive image information that represents field portions of agricultural land that have been captured using an optical capturing unit of an agricultural spraying device; identify at least one defined weed in the captured field portions by using the image information; and output a control signal, depending on whether at least one occurrence of the at least one defined weed is identified, selectively to: the first spray nozzle unit of the agricultural spraying device, to apply a first spray from the first spray tank via the first spray circuit of the agricultural spraying device to a relevant captured field portion, wherein the first spray includes or consists of: (i) at least one soil-active, plant protection product that is to be applied in a blanket manner, and (ii) at least one selective foliar-active, and/or at least one non-selective, foliar-active herbicide; or the second spray nozzle unit of the agricultural spraying device, to apply a second spray from the second spray tank via the second spray circuit, which is fluidically separate from the first spray circuit, of the agricultural spraying device to the relevant captured field portion, wherein the second spray includes or consists of: (i) the same at least one soil-active, plant protection product that is to be applied in a blanket manner, and (ii) the same at least one selective foliar-active, and/or the same at least one non-selective foliar-active, herbicide corresponding to the first spray, and additionally at least one foliar-active herbicide that is not contained in the first spray and is selective for at least one defined weed.

20. The agricultural spraying device as recited in claim 19, wherein one spray nozzle each from the first and second spray nozzle units form a spray nozzle pair, the spray nozzles in a spray nozzle pair being formed so as to apply the first and second sprays to the same field portion.

21. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium on which is stored a computer program for applying two different sprays to agricultural land using an agricultural spraying device that includes a first spray circuit having a first spray tank and a first spray nozzle unit, and includes a second spray circuit, which is fluidically separate from the first spray circuit and has a second spray tank and a second spray nozzle unit, the computer program, when executed by a computer, causing the computer to perform the following steps: providing a first spray in the first spray tank of the first spray circuit of the spraying device, wherein the first spray includes or consists of: (i) at least one soil-active, plant protection product that is to be applied in a blanket manner, and (ii) at least one selective foliar-active and/or at least one non-selective foliar-active herbicide; providing a second spray in the second spray tank of the second spray circuit of the spraying device, wherein the second spray includes or consists of: (i) the same at least one soil-active plant protection product that is to be applied in a blanket manner, and the same at least one selective foliar-active, and/or (ii) the same at least one non-selective herbicide corresponding to the first spray, and additionally at least one foliar-active, herbicide that is not contained in the first spray and is selective for at least one defined weed; and applying either the first spray using the first spray nozzle unit or the second spray using the second spray nozzle unit to field portions of the agricultural land depending on whether the at least one defined weed is present in each field portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0059] The present invention will be explained by way of example in more detail below on the basis of the figures.

[0060] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an agricultural spraying device, according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] FIG. 2 is a schematic detailed view of two spray circuits, according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] FIG. 3 shows image information containing identified weeds in a defined weed group according to an example embodiment according to the present invention.

[0063] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0064] In the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference numerals are used for the elements shown in the various figures that have the same action, the description of these elements not being repeated.

[0065] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an agricultural spraying device, denoted as a whole by reference numeral 10.

[0066] The agricultural spraying device 10 is formed as a sprayer 10. The sprayer 10 is arranged on a mobile land-based vehicle 12, formed as a tractor 12 or farming tractor 12.

[0067] The agricultural spraying device 10 is configured for applying two different sprays to agricultural land 14 containing cultivated plants 16 and weeds 18. For this purpose, the agricultural spraying device 10 has two spray circuits 20, 22, which are shown in more detail in FIG. 2 and will be described in more detail hereinafter.

[0068] The first spray circuit 20 has a first spray tank 24 containing a first spray 26 and a first spray nozzle unit 28 for applying the first spray 26. Analogously, the second spray circuit 22 has a second spray tank 30 containing a second spray 32 and a second spray nozzle unit 34 for applying the second spray 32.

[0069] The two spray nozzle units 28, 34 each have a multiplicity of spray nozzles 38, 40 arranged on a sprayer boom 36 at a distance from one another in the longitudinal direction. In each case, one spray nozzle 38 of the first spray nozzle unit 28 and one spray nozzle 40 of the second spray nozzle unit 34 form a spray nozzle pair 42, the spray nozzles 38, 40 in one spray nozzle pair 42 being arranged adjacent to one another and one behind the other in the movement direction of the agricultural spraying device 10.

[0070] According to the present invention, the first spray 26 consists of two soil-active plant protection products A, B that are to be applied in a blanket manner, and four selective and/or non-selective foliar-active herbicides C-F. In addition, according to the present invention, the second spray 32 consists of the same two soil-active plant protection products A, B that are to be applied in a blanket manner, and the same four selective and/or non-selective foliar-active herbicides C-F corresponding to the first spray 26, plus a foliar-active herbicide G that is not contained in the first spray 26 and is selective for a defined group of weeds 18.

[0071] The agricultural spraying device 10 additionally comprises an optical capturing unit 44 for capturing field portions of the agricultural land 14 in order to obtain in each case image information for identifying the at least one defined weed 18 or a defined group of weeds 18. The optical capturing unit 44 has a multiplicity of optical cameras 46 arranged on the sprayer boom 36 at a distance from one another in the longitudinal direction. The optical cameras 46 each comprise a filter unit in order to extract a color component, for example the green color component, from an obtained or captured piece of image information or a captured image, in order to detect weeds 18.

[0072] Furthermore, the agricultural spraying device 10 comprises a control unit (not shown) that is connected to the optical cameras 46 in order to receive information therefrom. The control unit has a multiplicity of arithmetic logic units, which are each assigned to one optical camera 46 and further configured for carrying out calculation steps or image processing steps in order to carry out the method according to the present invention, in particular for identifying the at least one defined weed 18 by using the image information from the corresponding optical camera 46. The control unit is further configured for outputting a control signal depending on whether at least one occurrence of the at least one defined weed 18 is identified, in such a way that either the first spray 26 or the second spray 32 is applied.

[0073] FIG. 3 shows a specific embodiment in which the optical cameras 46 and the associated arithmetic logic units are configured for identifying or classifying just one defined group of weeds 18.

[0074] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method 100 for applying two different sprays 26, 32 to agricultural land 14 using an agricultural spraying device 10 that comprises a first spray circuit 20 having a first spray tank 24 and a first spray nozzle unit 28, and comprises a second spray circuit 22, which is fluidically separate from the first spray circuit and has a second spray tank 30 and a second spray nozzle unit 34. The method comprises a step of providing 102 a first spray 26 in the first spray tank 24 of the first spray circuit 20 of the spraying device 10, wherein the first spray 26 comprises or consists of at least one, in particular soil-active, plant protection product A, B that is to be applied in a blanket manner, and at least one selective, in particular foliar-active, and/or at least one non-selective, in particular foliar-active, herbicide C-F. The method 100 further comprises a step of providing 104 a second spray 32 in the second spray tank 30 of the second spray circuit 34 of the spraying device 10, wherein the second spray 32 comprises or consists of the same at least one, in particular soil-active, plant protection product A, B that is to be applied in a blanket manner, and the same at least one selective, in particular foliar-active, and/or the same at least one non-selective, in particular foliar-active, herbicide C-F corresponding to the first spray 26, and additionally at least one, in particular foliar-active, herbicide G that is not contained in the first spray 26 and is selective for at least one defined weed 18. The method 100 additionally comprises a step of capturing 106 the field portions of the agricultural land 14 using an optical capturing unit 44 of the agricultural spraying device 10 in order to obtain in each case image information for identifying the at least one defined weed 18. Furthermore, the method 100 comprises a step of identifying 108 the at least one defined weed 18 in the captured field portions by using the corresponding image information by way of a control unit, in particular of the agricultural spraying device 10. Lastly, the method 100 comprises a step of applying 110 either the first spray 26 using the first spray nozzle unit 28 or the second spray 32 using the second spray nozzle unit 34 to field portions of the agricultural land 14 depending on whether the at least one defined weed 18 is present in each field portion.

[0075] Where an exemplary embodiment contains an and/or link between a first feature and a second feature, this should be construed as meaning that according to one specific embodiment, the exemplary embodiment includes both the first feature and the second feature, and according to a further specific embodiment, the exemplary embodiment includes either only the first feature or only the second feature.