Turkish Manufacturer Sevsan develops in-row hoe with camera recognition and AI
Turkish machinery manufacturer Sevsan develops in-row hoe with camera recognition and artificial intelligence. The first Sevsan machines will be used in tomato cultivation.
The Turkish machinery manufacturer Sevsan recently showcased a new project at the agricultural machinery fair in Konya, Turkey: an in-row hoe that operates using camera recognition. According to Sevsan, the system uses proprietary camera technology and self-developed software. The hoe is still under development.
Sevsan aims to test the machine this year. In 2026, the hoe should be ready for production. The target price is €85,000.
Thinner blades in future
Sevsan is initially focusing on tomato cultivation, because weeding in this crop requires a lot of manual labor. A minimum spacing of 15 centimeters between the plants is needed to allow the blades to move up and down. In a later phase, with thinner blades, 10 centimeters would be sufficient. The current row spacing is 45 centimeters. So the focus is first on tomatoes; after that, Sevsan wants to look into maize and sugar beet.
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2 blades, 1 cylinder
Initial tests are carried out at a driving speed of 4 km/h. According to Sevsan, the hoe currently achieves 95% precision. The hoe is powered via a 12-volt connection and the tractor’s hydraulics. It is mounted in a side-shift system that is controlled by the camera recognition system.
There are two hoeing elements per crop row. One hydraulic cylinder controls both hoes. A camera detects whether a plant is present. Software with artificial intelligence decides whether the hoe blades should intervene. The working depth can be adjusted using a depth wheel and spindle.
Rollers for drip irrigation
In Turkey, growers make extensive use of drip irrigation. That is why the hoe is fitted with rollers on top. The idea is to guide the drip tapes over the hoe at the start of each working pass, and place them back after cultivation. Sevsan is considering equipping the rollers with a small motor.
