UF/IFAS Scientist Uses AI To Target Weeds — Not Nearby Tomatoes – Saving 70% of Herbicide

Targeted weed-spraying can save tomato farmers 71% of the herbicide they use, University of Florida research shows. It also cuts input costs related to weed management for growers by 75%.

The results mean that targeted spray technology lowers the amount of herbicides in the environment, said Nathan Boyd, lead scientist on the study.

These findings are crucial to the Florida tomato industry, which is valued at almost $500 million annually, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service. Most Florida tomatoes are grown in open fields, using plasticulture, a system in which the crop is planted in raised beds of soil that are covered with plastic mulch.

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