Weeds can become a farmer’s nightmare, and for organic farmers, weeds can be even more challenging. Three German farmers, Georg Honsel, Verena Honsel, and Christian Overkämping, have been experimenting with automation and robotics to combat weeds on their farms. While they have had varying degrees of success, their efforts highlight the importance of finding innovative solutions for organic farming.
Georg and Verena Honsel operate a conventional farm called Honsel Agrar, while Christian Overkämping runs the organic farm called Einfach Bio. Both farms are located in Rhede, Germany, near the Dutch border. The organic farm focuses on growing onions, which are usually pre-sprouted in cups/pots to give them a head start. This allows the farmers to use a hoeing machine to remove weeds early on, as hoeing not only eliminates existing weeds but also prevents new ones from germinating.
Georg Honsel has found success using the Ecorobotix Ara, a robotic implement that enables site-specific herbicide application. This has reduced the need for herbicides and effectively eliminated up to 99 percent of weeds in crops such as carrots, green beans, onions, and spinach. However, the Ara system has limitations when it comes to large weeds and waving onion stalks.
On the organic farm, manual labor is relied upon for weeding, but the availability of labor has become a challenge. Verena and Christian were on the lookout for alternatives and came across the FarmDroid FD20 field robot, which can sow and hoe onions. They tested the robot during the winter and found that it followed the desired path accurately. They also raised the ground clearance of the seeding elements to prevent damage to the onions later in the season.
However, the weather conditions in spring posed challenges for sowing the onions. The soil became compacted, and the sowing pattern deviated from the calibration tests. The number of seeds per position varied, leading to inconsistent onion growth. The absence of seed scrapers on the metering units of the seeding system may have contributed to this issue. Additionally, vibrations and the inclination of the terrain affected the distribution of seeds.
While the farmers have encountered challenges in their efforts to combat weeds using automation and robotics, their experiences highlight the importance of finding organic solutions. Organic farming relies on manual labor for weeding, but the availability of labor is becoming increasingly difficult. By exploring innovative technologies, farmers can potentially reduce the reliance on manual labor and improve weed control in organic crops.
The success of automation and robotics in weed control depends on factors such as the type of crop, the size of the farm, and the specific challenges faced by the farmers. As technology continues to advance, it is essential for farmers to stay informed and open to new solutions that can help them manage weeds effectively while maintaining the principles of organic farming.