Smart sprayers targeting farm weeds to hit US market in 2022

For decades, farmers have been blanketing crops with herbicides like Roundup, which won’t kill corn and soybeans that have been genetically modified to survive it. But recently, some superweeds are also becoming resistant, which is hurting yields. — Man photo created by prostooleh - www.freepik.com

American farmers will soon be able to buy smart weed sprayers that promise to significantly reduce the use of farm chemicals.

Israel-based Greeneye Technology is planning to sell the sprayers powered by artifical intelligence in the US beginning in 2022. The equipment, which attaches to tractors, can identify some 200 different plants and apply chemicals only on the ones that need it. It could lower herbicide volumes by up to 90%, according to Nadav Bocher, chief executive officer of the startup.