Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Weed management in perennial specialty crops (i.e., tree fruits, nuts, grapes, berries, hops) is necessary for the sustainable production of high-quality yields. Growers' abilities to achieve effective weed control are affected by (1) limited herbicide availability, (2) evolved herbicide resistance, (3) a changing regulatory environment that will affect herbicide re/registrations, (4) safety concerns (for workers, crops, non-target organisms) associated with herbicide use, and (5) the high cost/reduced availability of labor for handweeding, among other factors.Although novel weed control technologies (i.e., autonomous robots, precision sprayers, electric weeders, etc.) have been developed for use in perennial crops, many stakeholders are unaware of their availability and/or are unfamiliar with their performance. Similarly, university scientists need more information about grower interest in/willingness to adopt new tools in order to develop forward-thinking research programs.The goals of the proposed project are to (1) assemble a transdiciplinary team (weed science and rural sociology) to address weed control needs in perennial crops, (2) describe novel weed control technology available for use (as well as knowledge gaps) and extending this information to stakeholders, nationwide, (2) identify the factors that will drive or prevent adoption of novel technology in the US, and (4) prepare a SCRI SREP proposal to support the adoption of novel weed control technology in tree, vine, and berry crops.This proposal specifically aligns with SCRI legislative priorities (1) improving crop production efficiency, productivity, and profitability, and (2) identifying new innovative technology that mechanizes/automates labor intensive tasks, such as handweeding.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Our project team will engage perennial crop (i.e., tree fruit, tree nut, grape, berry, and hop) growers, agricultural workers, crop consultants, agricultural equipment manufacturers, policymakers, and other industry personnel to gain insight into their priorities concerning weed control, interest in novel weed control technology, and to identify the possible drivers and barriers to implementation.The project team will meet October 22 to 24, 2024, at the FIRA (Farming Innovations and Robotics Showcase) USA event, a premier exposition in North America for autonomous farming and agricultural robotics solutions, to assess the technological readiness of available weed control equipment. While at FIRA USA, project members will meet with representatives from the agricultural robotics industry, growers, and other stakeholders interested in new weed control tools to understand their perspectives, attitudes, and concerns regarding the adoption of robotic technologies for weed management. The team will also meet, independently, to conduct a thorough review of existing literature on robotics in agriculture, particularly perennial crop production, including results from the Co-I's own research programs.This information will be used to develop a PowerPoint presentation summarizing the current body of knowledge for the autonomous, robotic, and innovative weed control technology landscape. The review will be extended, nationwide, to stakeholders through in-person and online presentations given by the project team members. Target audiences include attendees at the New England Fruit and Vegetable Conference, the New Jersey Agricultural Convention, the Great Lakes EXPO, the Business, Enology, Viticulture (B.E.V.) NY meeting, the Western New York Fruit Conference, the Southeast Fruit and Vegetable Convention, and the Indiana Horticulture Conference and Expo, the California Almond Conference, the Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention, the North American Blueberry Researcher and Extension Workers conference, the North American Cranberry Researcher and Extension Workers conference, the American Cranberry Growers Association annual meeting, the Pacific Northwest Cranberry congress, the Wisconsin Cranberry School, the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association annual meeting, the New Jersey Blueberry Open House annual meeting, among others. Virtual outreach will occur via webinars and pre-recorded videos posted to the university YouTube channels and other social media platforms.Discussions with FIRA USA participants will also shape the development of a survey tool that will be distributed to stakeholders, nationwide, at the events mentioned above and online. This instrument will be used to (1) identify growers' interests concerning novel weeding tools and (2) describe the needs, preferences, limitations, and specific challenges growers face when considering the adoption and integration of new weed control technology into their production systems. Monthly meetings will be used to identify and meet with key industry partners, review survey responses, and share feedback from the presentations. These discussions will inform our full SCRI SREP proposal to investigate the performance and adoptability of innovative weedcontrol technology to improve the productivity, sustainability, and profitability of tree, vine, and fruit crops.This understanding will enable tailoring advancements best suited to growers' diverse requirements and improve US perennial crop growers' economic competitiveness and the sustainability of thousands of farming operations. Additionally, such information will assist our project team in designing future research questions and outreach approaches that fit growers' specific needs and provide relevant information on overcoming barriers to better manage weeds of perennial crops. Fostering collaboration and communication among team members from different disciplines will ensure that all perspectives are considered and integrated into the research process.
Project Methods
This proposal will support two in-person meetings (October 2024 and July 2025) and a series of monthly Zoom calls. All team members will attend an initial 2.5-day meeting (Oct. 22 to Oct. 24, 2024) at the University of California (UC) - Davis campus. The meeting will coincide with FIRA USA (https://fira-usa.com/), which will take place 10 miles northwest of campus. FIRA USA is a platform where participants explore the use of robotics and technology in agriculture. The event includes demonstrations, presentations, and networking opportunities aimed at advancing the adoption of automation in agriculture. Project team members will spend time at FIRA USA interacting with industry stakeholders and equipment manufacturers to assess the landscape of currently available and emerging weed control innovations. The remainder of the meeting will take place on the UC-Davis campus; activities will include a review of FIRA USA, and update on research conducted by project team members with respect to novel weed control technology, a conversation regarding existing knowledge gaps, and an introduction to sociological methodologies for survey development and analysis. The meeting will also include roundtable discussions with UC-Davis cooperative extension personnel who specialize in perennial crop management, delegates from the commodity organizations that submitted letters of support, and equipment manufacturers present at FIRA USA.Following the initial planning meeting, the project team will meet monthly via Zoom. November through January meetings will focus on the development and distribution of the extension presentation and survey. The February 2025 meeting will be held in-person at the joint annual meeting of the WSSA and Canadian Weed Science Society (CWSS), in Vancouver, BC, Canada (Feb. 24 to Feb. 27). Most of the Co-Is will be in attendance. Team members who cannot be present will be invited to attend via Zoom. The February through June meetings will focus on updates regarding presentations given by team members (i.e., event, location, number of attendees, stakeholder feedback) as well as an update with respect to survey responses.We will host a second in-person meeting in July 2025 in Geneva, NY, to review survey results and strategize a full SCRI submission. Attendees will include team members. Guests, who will be invited to speak at the planning session will include the leadership of Cornell AgriTech, local industry representatives, Cornell Cooperative Extension personnel who specialize in perennial crop production, and key growers.