Agrifac selects WEED-IT spot spraying technology

The agreement comprises of the delivery of WEED-IT Quadro technology to Agrifac customers who aim to manage weeds more effectively. In order to do so, WEED-IT relies on fluorescence technology for weed management.

Photosynthesis

The technology referred to as ‘the power of fluorescence’ is relies on photosynthesis. The living plant chlorophyll emits a small portion of near infra-red (NIR) light as a reaction to the light emitted by the WEED-IT sensors referred to as ‘chlorophyll fluorescence’. The WEED-IT sensors measure this chlorophyll fluorescence and distinguish living plants (weeds) from dead plant matter, soil and any other substances. This can be done day and night.

Speed of light

According to Rometron, one of the reasons why WEED-IT fluorescence technology is so fast, is that it uses the speed of light to detect chlorophyll in plants. This means that any (type of) weed, no matter how small, is always detected at any speed. A second distinguishing reason is that WEED-IT technology does not require nor involve any image processing: weeds nor plants aren’t classified like (RBG) camera systems do. A third reason for WEED-IT being ultrafast is that both the weed detection and elimination are done by the same system: WEED-IT sensors followed by WEED-IT very fast pulse width modulation (PWM) nozzles.

On Condor and Condor Endurance

Agrifac will offer the technology on its Condor and Condor Endurance self-propelled sprayers. In Australia as well as in Europe, the first Agrifac sprayers with WEED-IT technology have already been delivered to their new owners.