Author
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HUMMEL, JOHN |
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YU, JING - UNIV OF ILLINOIS |
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Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 7/20/1997 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Uncontrolled weed populations can substantially reduce corn yields. Weeds can decrease the moisture and nutrients available to crops and reduce productivity. Also, weed abundance within corn fields can affect the severity of infestation by corn pests (Weber et al, 1990), again contributing to reduced productivity. Weeds infesting crop fields are rarely uniformly distributed. If the location and type of weed patch can be detected, the amount of herbicide used can be greatly reduced and then, the correct type and rate of herbicide can be used on the weed infested areas (Brown et al, 1994). Spectral reflectance sensors have been developed that can detect the presence of plant material against a background of bare soil (Hooper et al, 1976; Haggar et al, 1983; Shearer & Jones, 1991). These systems were able to identify areas of weed infestation in fallow periods, or in the area between the rows of a row crop, and control the application of herbicides. In US Cornbelt corn production, weed control in the row middles can be accomplished by several techniques, e.g., broadcast herbicide application or mechanical cultivation. Within the rows of corn plants, herbicides, applied either preplant and incorporated or as post-emergent foliar applications, are used for weed control. The amounts of herbicides required to provide adequate weed control might be reduced if in-row weeds can be differentiated from corn plants, and the herbicide only applied to the weeds. This study used an industry-developed spectral reflectance sensor to identify and locate corn plants and experimental C-language software to distinguish the corn plants from weeds. |
