K.U.L.T. Kress’ high-precision laser technology is able to control weeds in close proximity to the crop without affecting the soil structure. This can be done at the cotyledon stage to successfully and efficiently prevent competing species from growing without the use of chemical substances.
Optical sensors continuously capture images of the plant stock. These images are analyzed using artificial intelligence (AI). The crop is recognized and distinguished from the weeds. All unwanted species are then targeted and denatured with surgical precision, using the heat of the laser.
This new control method works very well in sensitive and closely sown crops, such as carrots at present. Furthermore, the laser works independently of soil condition and can thus be used in a wider time window.
With mechanical methods, the challenge is to control the accompanying flora without damaging the crop. However, the current state of the art cannot be used early in the crop’s growth because any soil movement must be avoided close to the crop. Therefore, hand weeding is currently still the only way to prevent crop loss in certain crops. This is exactly where the K.U.L.T.iLaser steps in and takes mechanical weed control to a new level. It runs at a speed of 100 meters per hour.
The K.U.L.T.aiLaser is a joint development of K.U.L.T. Kress Umweltschonende Landtechnik GmbH in Germany and SIA WeedBot in Latvia.
