How AI precision spraying can cut herbicide use by up to 96%

Effective weed management is essential to any operation, as it prevents yield loss and helps produce a healthy crop.

However, as input costs rise, farm labour becomes increasingly difficult to find, and regulations on plant protection products become more restrictive, many farmers are left wondering what the next step is.

Angus Hill © Ecorobotix

Angus Hill, agronomist and farm support consultant with VCS UK Limited, has experienced these weed control challenges firsthand. He was particularly concerned with the limitations of conventional blanket spraying.

In addition to applying products where they were not needed, he saw crops suffer from phytotoxicity and stress issues which lead to a reduced crop quality and limited yield potential.

During his interview, Angus described this approach as “fundamentally not efficient weed control.”

A different approach to spraying

It was these challenges that led Angus to Ecorobotix’s ARA™ ultra-high precision sprayer.

Designed to help growers target weeds more accurately without affecting the crop, ARA applies crop protection products only where they are needed.

After his first week using ARA, Angus experienced what he describes as a “light bulb moment,” realising he could effectively control weeds without negatively impacting the crop.

“It was a holy grail realisation,” says Angus.

treating each plant individually rather than spraying an entire field uniformly, ARA brings a different approach to crop protection.

This plant-by-plant strategy is at the core of Ecorobotix’s technology.

© Ecorobotix

Precision at the plant level

What sets ARA apart is Ecorobotix’s Plant-by-Plant AI™ technology. Instead of treating a field as a single unit, the software uses algorithms tailored to specific crops.

From chicory and sugar beets to onions, corn, and many others, each algorithm is crafted to optimise treatment decisions.

Using high-resolution cameras, ARA captures images of every plant as it moves through the field, identifying crops and weeds in real time.

The system instantly analyses this data and applies inputs only where needed, with a spray footprint of 6×6 centimetres.

Today, ARA supports over 30 crop-specific algorithms and can recognise more than 40 weed species.

This range of algorithms and level of precision allows a variety of growers to maintain effective weed control while dramatically reducing the amount of product applied across the field.

ARA1200 UHP Sprayer © Ecorobotix

Reducing inputs without sacrificing results

Since adopting ARA, Angus has seen a significant reduction in herbicide use. Fields that once required seven to nine applications with a conventional sprayer can now be managed in just two to three passes with ARA.

“Our biggest take home message is that we are reducing our herbicide use by up by 96%,” says Angus.

By reducing the number of field passes and the amount of product used, growers can achieve significant cost savings while minimising the accumulation of crop protection products in the soil.

This supports the long-term health of their crops and fields and positions them to meet sustainability and regulatory requirements.

For Angus, these results demonstrate the value of ARA in real-world conditions.

“I think once you get the product on the farm, you understand how it works, and when you see the results, it sells itself,” he says.

© Ecorobotix

Offering ARA to a wider range of growers

As more farmers seek these types of savings while maintaining effective weed control, Ecorobotix not only aims to offer ARA sprayers as solution, but in a size that best fits their operation.

Building on the success of the company’s flagship ARA620, Ecorobotix is expanding its ARA lineup to include ARA sprayers with working widths ranging from 2 to 12 meters.

Faced with rising production costs and an evolving regulatory landscape, farmers need solutions that deliver both agronomic and economic value.

Knowing this, Ecorobotix aims to provide growers of different scales with access to plant-by-plant precision spraying, helping them reduce inputs, maintain crop health, and build more sustainable operations for the future.

Attendees of Agritechniek Holland got their first look at ARA1200, Ecorobotix’s largest model.

The 12-metre machine will also be showcased at EIMA International in Bologna, Italy, this November, providing another opportunity for farmers to see the technology firsthand.

Get in touch with the Ecorobotix team.