Katiuscia Mizokami
Solinftec, a Brazilian company focused on artificial intelligence (AI) solutions and sustainable agricultural practices, unveiled, during its participation in Farm Show Progress, in Decatur (IL), in the United States, a robot capable of carrying out the precise application of herbicides, allowing efficient weed control. According to the company, during the first commercial harvest, the solution contributed to a 95% reduction in the use of herbicides.
The Sprayer robot works with localized applications, being able to eliminate weeds in their initial stage. The use of technology, which works using AI, ensures not only clean crops free from invasive plants, but also savings and sustainable production from pre-planting to harvest.
The machine can also prevent drift during herbicide handling. The company explains that this is because it is a lighter machine, which operates at a lower speed, and has greater bar stability.
“The Sprayer works integrated with the ALICE platform, an artificial intelligence platform, capable of providing the most appropriate recommendations for wind speed and the best times for spraying crops”, guarantees Solinfitec.
Furthermore, the robot has four solar panels that control its drive system and spray system. They also provide reports on crop populations; weed identification and densities; spray maps with input analysis among other map layers for data analysis for the producer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The robot in action
Aproximadamente 20 robôs Sprayers trabalharam nas safras de milho americano em 2023. O resultado dessa invasão robótica foi uma grande diminuição no volume de herbicida usado nas lavouras americanas. “Co-Alliance, Carroll FS e Premier Ag estão na vanguarda da tecnologia agrícola nos Estados Unidos e, ao adotar o Solix, perceberam o potencial de mudar a forma como precificam os serviços aos produtores americanos”, afirma Leonardo Carvalho, diretor de estratégia global da Solinftec. “No modelo tradicional, as cooperativas americanas compram agroquímicos diretamente de empresas de defensivos agrícolas e oferecem serviços de pulverização junto ao produto que será manejado no campo”, explica.
