Weed robot an economic consideration

Survey shows farmers are willing to implement robotic solutions to help combat weed resistance.

More than half of farmers suggest they would consider utilizing mechanical weeding robots in a field to manage weeds, with high herbicide resistance levels a major reason for implementation, according to a recent University of Illinois survey.

The growing challenge of herbicide-resistant weeds is affecting chemical weed control methods and could lead to billions of dollars in crop losses, reported Shadi S. Atallah, agricultural and resource economist with the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, during a recent Farmdoc webinar.

A random survey of 251 corn farmers from 12 Midwestern ...