Robotized weed control is one of perspective approaches for decreasing ecological impact of farming. Although current level of technology development allows robotized weed control to be economically reasonable only in specific applications, it is only a matter of time to introduce them in full-scale industrial farming. In general terms weed control using agricultural robots consist of two parts: recognition and spatial localization of weeds (distinguishing them from crops) and precision application of some kind of growth limiting activity. Recognition and localization is usually carried out using computer vision solutions (image filtering and transformations, artificial neural networks etc.). Growth limiting in its turn is performed by mechanical, precise chemical, thermal, cryogenic or other means. This article covers application of laser radiation for thermal destruction of unwanted plant canopies. In most cases CO2 type lasers with 10.6 μm wavelength is used as they are affordable and they are applicable to use with plant biomass due to their spectral characteristics. Drawbacks of CO2 lasers are low efficiency, size, weight and complex maintenance. In recent years relatively powerful short-wavelength semiconductor lasers have became broadly available on market. Light absorption of healthy green leaves is much better in blue-UV spectrum than in green, far infrared and near infrared, which is almost completely reflected by leaves. Thus an experimental study of using 12 W output 445 nm blue semiconductor laser for weed canopy cutting was carried out. The experiments were performed with direct laser radiation, the laser module was positioned using robotic manipulator with different speeds and cutting patterns.
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