- Author: Amber Vinchesi-Vahl
- Posted by: Gale Perez

Conventional processing tomato weed management in California often includes pre-plant herbicides (trifluralin and/or s-metolachlor), followed by cultivation, and hand hoeing. Rimsulfuron herbicide can also be used in conventional systems and can be applied either pre or post transplanting. Post-transplant applications of rimsulfuron can selectively remove nightshades if applied when the weeds are very young, no more than 2 true leaves, however, long plant-back restrictions may limit its use. Therefore, the use of hand crews is often needed to remove weeds that emerge in the plant row, where standard cultivation equipment is ineffective.
Automated weeders, or robotic weeders, use cameras and computers to distinguish crops from...
- Author: Richard Smith
- Posted by: Gale Perez

There have been significant developments in automated weeder technology in the past several years. A quick perusal of automated weeders on YouTube reveals many machines developed in diverse parts of the world. Auto weeders that have been used in vegetable production in the Salinas Valley include machines from Europe such as the Robovator (Denmark), Ferrari (Italy), Steketee (Netherlands), and Garford (England). In the last few years new machines designed and built in the US include Farm Wise and Stout weeders. Both machines use a split blade technology to remove weeds in the seedline between the “keeper” crop plants. The blades open around the keeper plants to safeguard the crop and then close to remove weeds in between. The...