Verdant Robotics is offering growers the option of targeted application of herbicides or beneficials through SharpShooter™. We sat down with Chad Yagow, Director of Agronomy, Industry Relations and Regulatory Affairs to learn more about the SharpShooter™.
“Yeah, this time of the growing season, you know, we’ve gotten through that first flush of weeds and we’re dealing with the second, maybe even the third flush of weeds now. So weed control and then the labor required to deal with that is a big issue that growers are dealing with this time of the year. We produce a product called the SharpShooter™. The Sharpshooter is a highly precise application implement,” said Yagow.
Yagow added, “We don’t spray; we actually aim. So, using our Aim and Apply technology, we use AI and machine learning to identify targets in the field and then only apply a very precise amount of fluid onto targets. You’re only applying exactly where you need it, when you need it.”
“So that’s herbicides, fertilizers, biological products. We can apply those all in one pass. Where specialty crop growers are seeing the benefits are up to 99% herbicide savings and a reduction in their labor costs by up to 85%,” said Yagow.
“We have a team back in the office that uses the machine to capture images and then trains those images so that the system can differentiate crop from weed. So, if you’re talking about a turf crop, let’s say, our system can actually identify, say, Poa from Bermuda grass using the shape and some of the colors and some other cues that we train the system on. The system is very effective to tell crop from weed,” explained Yagow.
“If you’re applying a herbicide, we can do that very precisely. Or if you want to apply a beneficial onto the crop, we can apply it just onto the crop instead of applying that onto the weeds and helping the weeds grow as well. VerdantRobotics.com is a great place to start there in the Southeast,” Yagow said.
“Matt Hayes is our local rep there. Go take a look at our videos and give Matt a shout out if you’ve got some interest,” added Yagow.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.