New Technologies in Precise and Sustainable Weed Management: Nanoparticles, Artificial Intelligence, and Robotics
Subject Areas : Weed Sciences
Mohammad Ahmadi
1
,
rasoul fakhari
2
1 - PhD in Weed Science, Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Ardabil, Iran
2 - Plant Protection Research Department, Ardabil Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Ardabil, Iran
Keywords: Precision weed management, Agricultural robotics, Sustainable agriculture, Herbicide resistance, AI in weed science,
Abstract :
Weeds are a serious threat to global food security, causing more than $100 billion in economic losses annually. Weed management, as one of the fundamental challenges of modern agriculture, faces problems such as herbicide resistance, environmental pollution, and economic costs. New technologies such as nanoparticles, artificial intelligence, and robotics offer promising solutions to address these challenges. Nanoparticles with the ability to target and control herbicide release reduce pesticide consumption by up to 75% and significantly increase their efficiency. Artificial intelligence, by processing satellite and ground images, identifies and predicts weed growth patterns with 95% accuracy. Agricultural robots, using mechanized and intelligent systems, also provide the possibility of local physical and chemical control of weeds and are able to perform weeding operations automatically at high speed (20 decisions per second). The combination of these three technologies could revolutionize weed management and develop integrated systems that both optimize input use and increase farm yields. With global food demand projected to increase by 60% by 2050, the application of these new technologies could not only ensure food security but also achieve sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture. These developments represent a shift towards more precise and intelligent agriculture, in which advanced technologies play a central role in solving global agricultural challenges.
