An overview of site-specific based models of weeds

Site-specific weed management (SSWM) is a strategy of varying weed management within a crop field to match the variation in location, density and composition of the weed population. This concept is based on three facts: 1) weed populations are often irregularly distributed within crop fields, 2) new sensors and platforms together with geospatial technologies (e.g., GPS, GIS) have provided the tools required to detect and map weeds, and 3) new smart sprayers, robots and mechanical cultivators have provided the possibility of careful tailoring of weed management to fit the different conditions found in each field. Site-specific weed management has a real potential to deliver a more productive and sustainable agricultural production based on a more precise and resource-efficient approach. This paper reviews the major conceptual approaches and specifications for the design of site-specific weed management decision support systems (SSWM-DSS), recent advances in the use of remote and ground platforms and sensors for information gathering and processing, and initial experiences translating this information into chemical and physical weed control actuations through decision algorithms and models.