December 2023 11 Using an AI algorithm, Tom (who is the first of a planned group of robots which includes Dick, the weed-zapper still not commercially viable, and Harry, a digital planting robot that is still a concept) will support the creation of a “treatment map” telling farmers exactly how much herbicide to use and where to apply it. It is hoped this will dramatically reduce chemical usage by enabling farmers to deploy a targeted approached rather than treating the whole field. Christie is one of the Hutton staff carrying out research using Tom: “Having the Tom robot on site is expanding our capabilities in terms of agricultural research and precision breeding. With possibilities for different cameras and AI models to be applied, the potential for this scientific tool is extensive and expansive. There will be lots of opportunities to explore new uses for the robot in research and it will add value to many of our research proposals going forward. Our first task has been to implement Tom in cereal trials to help develop and improve precision of in-field phenotyping as part of our flagship initiative, the International Barley Hub, bringing better understanding of crop characteristics to help us in our aim of producing the resource efficient and climate resilient crops of the future.” Tom robot will be on lease to the Hutton for two years. Steam machine Steam weeding is an alternative form of weed control and is being trialled on an agricultural scale in Scotland thanks to a new machine developed through an innovation project by Christie and agro-ecologiost, Adrian Newton, with funding awarded by the Mains of Loirston Trust. Weed control is a challenge for farmers and growers thanks to the reducing availability of chemicals being licensed for use and the need to apply more environmentally-friendly techniques and practices. Over the last two years, Christie has been working with local firm Powerwasher Services to develop a machine that uses a steam generator which can fit on to tractors and other machines. Moving slowly, at just one mile an hour, the machine jets out steam which hits weeds such as thistles and groundsel, effectively killing them. Speaking of his invention, Christie said, “The reality is that we cannot rely on herbicides alone and need to have other tools in our toolbox to manage weeds and thermal weed control such as steam, is one of them. We have been working on this with colleagues, including making use of the specialist skills of the institute mechanic and Powerwasher Services since 2021. Having deployed the machine in arable and pasture situations, our related research considered impact including on biodiversity, treatment efficacy and effectiveness for use in pasture sward diversification. “Considering the low speeds involved in application and the suitability for use in fruit plantations, where contact herbicides options are limited, we are now adapting the machine so we can monitor the effectiveness of using steam weed control for the soft fruit sector.” Tay 5G Finally, in September, Tay5G, a Tay Cities Region Deal project in collaboration with the Scotland 5G Centre and industry partners, announced the winners of its Challenge Fund. A competitive funding initiative, its aim is to accelerate the development of innovative projects utilising the power of 5G technology to transform various sectors. It has been supported with around £430,000 of Scottish Government funding as part of its £2 million investment in Tay5G. The Hutton was amongst the winners, leveraging 5G technology to deploy sensor networks, adding automation, and utilising real-time data analytics to enhance precision in farming practices, increase crop yield and quality, and support sustainable agriculture. Christie was involved in the bid and shares his thoughts on what it means for the Hutton, “The Tay5G challenge fund will allow us to make forward thinking innovations that were once thought of as science fiction into a working reality. Integration of 5G technology has the potential to improve our farming systems with the addition of in-field sensors, remote access capability and automated functionality on farm equipment. “Accessibility and repeatability are features we want to build into our 5G enabled systems, as we would like to see similar technology rollout by other farmers as an outcome from the project. In proving a use case demonstration for the application of 5G private networks in agriculture, we hope to show that the technology is at our fingertips, not beyond our grasp.” For more information on any of these projects, please contact andrew.christie@hutton.ac.uk Andrew Christie
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