Oct 7, 2021

Automated Weeding Technologies Field Demo planned in Arizona

Desert vegetable growers are encouraged to attend an automated weeding technology field demonstration at the Yuma (Arizona) Agricultural Center the morning of Oct. 21

The event includes presentations and field demonstrations by various companies. Already committed to attend and demonstrate equipment include: Naio Technologies, FarmWise, K.U.L.T-Kress, Scout AgTech, Padma Robotics, WeedIt, and Vision Robotics.

The field day is sponsored by the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension and the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture.

Registration begins at 7 a.m. with presentations and demonstrations running from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. California and Arizona CEU credits of 2 units each for CCA and PCA are pending.

The Yuma Agricultural Center is located at 6425 W. 8th St., Yuma, Arizona.

Field Demo Schedule:

7:00 AM              Registration and Breakfast Burritos

7:30                    Welcome and 2-minute Presentation Highlights

8:00                    Autonomous Weeding Capability

Hunter Torres, Naïo Technologies , Salinas, CA

Stephen Bautista, Naïo Technologies , Salinas, CA

8:20                    Automated Intra-row Weeding with Titan

Jason Mellow, FarmWise, San Francisco, CA

8:40                    Camera-based Inter-row and Intra-row Cultivation Solutions – Challenges and Advantages

Kim Haug, K.U.L.T-Kress LLC, New Holland, PA

Daniel Riehle, K.U.L.T.-Kress Gmbr., Vaihingen an der Enz, Germany

9:00                    Automated Weed Control Using Stout Smart Cultivator

Steve Snyder, Stout AgTech, Salinas, CA

Sal Espinoza, Stout AgTech, Salinas, CA

9:20                   Application of AI Automation for Weed and Pest Control in Crops

Raghu Nandivada, Padma Robotics, Phoenix, AZ

Cole Brauer, Padma Robotics, Phoenix, AZ

9:40                   WeedIt – High Speed Spot-Spray Technology for Controlling Herbicide Resistant Weeds

Tom Gauthier, AgTechLogic (formerly TAB AG Group), Tempe, AZ

Katy Derheim, Agritech America, Bozeman, MT

10:00                  Band-Steam for Controlling Soilborne Pathogens and Weeds in Lettuce

Mark Siemens, Dept. of Biosystems Engineering, University of Arizona

10:20                  Intelligent Weeders Are Getting Smarter

Tony Koselka, Vision Robotics, Corp., San Diego, CA

FarmWise autonomous weeding robot. Photo: FarmWise