Better weed control arrives for orchards, vineyards and fruit
Independent trials of our tractor-powered eWeeder in orchards, show that RootWave delivers full control of weeds.
EU to further increase pesticide reduction targets, but it could be the weeds that are in for a shock
The European Union has set a goal to reduce the use and risk of hazardous pesticides by 50% by 2030. However, a leaked draft report from the European Parliament shows that the Member leading the revision of the EU’s pesticide framework is pushing for more ambition, advocating for an 80% reduction in the use of more hazardous plant protection products by 2030. This goal is in line with the demands of the citizens’ initiative, ‘Save bees and farmers’, which called for a general reduction of synthetic plant protection products by 80%.
In recent years farmers have had worries about their ‘toolbox shrinking’, but fortunately, there is a solution that can help farmers meet this target: electric weed control (eWeeding).
eWeeding kills all weeds, delivering full control in independent trials. Moreover, electricity treats deep into the roots, and does not disturb the soil or seed bed, helping to reduce new weed growth, and create healthy soils to capture carbon.
Furthermore, while weeds might develop resistance to chemical herbicides, this is not the case with eWeeding.
This method is not only effective, but also safe for earthworms and other soil macrofauna, and can be used near water courses and in environmentally sensitive areas.
In addition, eWeeding can be lower cost than using chemical herbicides on a per hectare, per season basis.
RootWave will release its first tractor-powered eWeeding machine in 2024 for use in orchards and vineyards, with products for arable row crops expected from 2026.
If the EU are to take bold steps towards protecting ecosystems by increasing their pesticide reduction goals – in the case of weed control at least, farmers may actually be heading for a better future than they imagined.
In numbers – the squeeze on herbicides:
- In the EU, chemical herbicides that account for 82% of the herbicide value in fruit crops are being revoked or are at significant risk of being revoked. (33% for cereal crops, 87% for broad-acre row-crops, 94% for vegetables, and 98% in municipalities).
- There is herbicide resistance with 68% of the current modes of action. No new herbicide mode of action has been discovered in the past 20 years.
- In fruit crops, glyphosate accounts for 76% of the herbicides used. 88% of academic studies since 2016 conclude glyphosate is carcinogenic. In the EU, its license was extended by one year until end-2023 whilst the authorities reassess its safety. Glyphosate was recently withdrawn for US Consumers due to safety concerns and litigation costs. There are currently 533 legal cases against herbicide manufacturers relating to safety.
- EU Green Deal looking to halve the use of pesticides, including herbicides, by 2030 and COP15 committed to halving the risk from pesticides by 2030.
- There is a 11% CAGR in organic retail sales and 8% in organic farmland with EU committed to increasing organic farmland to 25% by 2030.
RootWave and IPM
RootWave can help nature restore soils, water and biodiversity by reducing the amount of chemicals in a farming system, and for fruit growers there are further benefits. Non-chemical practices such as mechanical weeding can negatively impact beneficials like earwigs (Dermaptera), a natural predator of pests such as codling moth (Cydia pomonella) and apple sawfly (Hoplocampa testudinea), major pests that can damage fruit crops. eWeeding doesn’t disturb the soil therefore leaving beneficials such as earwigs to do what they do best.
A RootWave eWeeder provides flexibility to orchard managers, as its excellent efficacy and the fact that it can be used in a wide range of conditions mean that treatment can be made at optimal times. This helps growers reduce pesticide use, showing RootWave can form a key part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) farming system.
RootWave working with Small Robot Company to create a weed zapping autonomous robot
National Trust Wimpole Estate, Cambridgeshire, 5 December 2019
RootWave and Small Robot Company (SRC), a British agritech start-up for sustainable farming, today announced the world’s first non-chemical precision robotic weeding for cereal crops. Using electricity and artificial intelligence, the ‘Dick’ robot will zap individual weeds using commercially-proven RootWave weed zapping technology. Early field trials are due to commence in 2020.
This is a major technological milestone which will enable automated, precision, per-plant weeding both at scale and autonomously, for the first time providing a post-chemical future for arable farmers.
This world-leading innovation is funded by the government’s Innovate UK grant programme, with more than £1 million funding committed to date. Working together in partnership with British start up RootWave, Small Robot Company has successfully completed development of its ‘Dick’ non-chemical weeding robot prototype to in-lab proof of concept stage, Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4.0. An initial prototype will go into field trials in 2020, with the commercial weed zapping service anticipated to be available from autumn 2021.
With up to 95% of chemicals wasted in the current farming system, this new non-chemical weeding technology will be significantly more nature-friendly and better for biodiversity.
“This is truly a world-first. For the first time, we can see each plant in the field – and every single weed. Instead of spraying the whole field, we can simply zap the individual weeds,” says Sam Watson-Jones, co-founder, Small Robot Company. “Farmers are integral to the environmental solution. It’s crucial that we’re working on farm to develop our technology, to ensure it delivers real benefits in field. Together, we’re creating the ultimate sustainable farming model.“
Andrew Diprose, CEO, RootWave comments, “Our technology uses electricity to zap weeds with zero chemicals. Increased regulation, herbicide resistance, and consumer concerns are all intensifying the urgency to find an environmental solution. Partnering with Small Robot Company means we can automate our weed zapping to operate at farm-scale.”
Calum Murray, Innovate UK’s Head of Agriculture & Food, said “It’s fantastic to see how Innovate UK’s funding has brought together British start up RootWave and Small Robot Company to develop game changing technologies that will revolutionize the agriculture sector. This innovative technology will allow farmers for the first time ever to use non-chemical precision robotic weeding for cereal, whilst saving energy and reducing costs. At Innovate UK, we are proud to be supporting thetransformation of the UK’s food production systems, improving productivity and sustainability, and helping the industry move towards achieving net zero emissions by 2040.”
Groundbreaking customer trials: Waitrose and the National Trust
Initial customers include the National Trust Wimpole Estate and Waitrose Leckford Estate farms, who are both already trialling SRC’s first commercial weed mapping service, which uses SRC’s ‘Tom’ monitoring robot to first locate the weeds. Both farms have been key partners in SRC’s work to develop its sustainable farming technology. Trials will take place on 20 UK farms through 2020.
Callum Weir, farm manager of the 1,500 acre (600 hectare) organic farm on the Wimpole Estate, says: “The key advantage of this groundbreaking technology is that it will enable us to be much more precise and targeted in controlling weeds, therefore helping us to increase crop yields and biodiversity. It is also lightweight, helping reduce compaction of soils – a consequence of using traditional tractors – which will help improve soil health.”
Andrew Hoad, Partner & Head of Waitrose’s Leckford Estate, comments: “This technology could be truly groundbreaking and has the potential to shape how we farm in the future. By helping us be more precise and targeted in controlling weeds and managing pests, this next generation of farming robots could in turn help us protect biodiversity on our land and preserve the natural environment for future generations.”
RootWave non-chemical weeding
With pressure increasing from regulators and herbicide resistant weeds, RootWave has developed a scalable and sustainable alternative to herbicides. This provides the core technology for SRC’s new weed-zapping robots. The technology is sustainable, no-till and cost comparable with herbicides. Automating this technology at scale will bring significant cost savings for farmers.
Rootwave uses electricity to kill weeds. Electricity is applied to a weed where the natural resistance of the weed transforms the electrical energy into heat which boils it inside out from the root upwards. This kills the weed after which the plant naturally decomposes, returning its nutrients to the soil. RootWave treats deep into the roots, making it possible to treat any weed, including tough invasive species such as Giant Hogweed and Japanese Knotweed.
RootWave’s technology is already commercially available as a professional hand-weeder designed for growers, gardeners and groundskeepers to spot weed and treat invasive species. This is in use in municipal, commercial and heritage sites, such as parks, football grounds and gardens, with customers including English Heritage, the Environment Agency, and the National Trust.
RootWave has won a £1million UK Government Innovate UK grant to scale its technology across different crop types and weeding platforms, including the Small Robot Company’s autonomous robots. The other major partner is SFM Technologies who are using RootWave technology to develop a tractor-pulled clearance weeder for fruit crops . These integrations will help enable electrical weed control technology to be adopted as a scalable and sustainable alternative to herbicides.
RootWave demostrates weeder for fruit crops
A group of farmers and growers attended a demonstration of a RootWave prototype for fruit crops at Windmill Hill Farm. Trials in collaboration with Lucozade Ribena Suntory were run in alleys of conventionally farmed chuckle-berries and organically farmed blackcurrants. Both organic and conventional farmers were in attendance and the feedback on the day was very positive.
This field lab is part of a European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development funded project to evaluate the potential of RootWave’s non-chemical technology to control weeds using electricity. The aim of this field lab is to test whether RootWave’s electrical weeding technology can be developed to provide a practical solution for fruit growers by addressing the three main concerns of using electrical technology in this environment:
- Long-term efficacy of weed control
- Speed of weed control,
- Cost of electrical weed control comparing alternative weed control methods.