Autonomous Robotic Scout and Precision Sprayer for High Density Citrus

Proposal SummaryProject Title: Autonomous Robotic Scout and Precision Sprayer for High Density CitrusPD: Dr. Siddartha Mehta (proposed)PI: Dr. Tom Burks Univ. of FloridaCo-PI's: Dr. Bill Castle Emeritus UFAOR: Lee C. Jones President GeoSpider Inc.Numerous challenges face the Florida and U.S. citrus industries including global marketpressure urban and environmental pressures labor issues and emerging diseases and pests thusunderscoring the need for new production approaches. Over the last two decades over 200000acres of Florida citrus production has been lost due to the citrus canker eradication program andcitrus greening (HLB). HLB is now considered endemic in Florida and hundreds of thousands ofacres are in steep decline with minimal hope of finding remediation solutions. Long term hoperests on finding HLB resistant varieties and developing advanced management strategies that cancontrol the psyllid population repel them from groves and manage trees in an optimal economicframework. One approach being considered is Advanced Citrus Production Systems (ACPS)that use high density semi-dwarfed trees and open hydroponics with optimized nutrient and wateravailability which accelerates plant growth. When combined with HLB tolerant rootstocks theconcept seeks to increase yield production per acre while simultaneously shortening the time toreturn on investment which means that grove life can be shortened by disease pressure and stillremain economically viable. Another emerging commercially admitted production approach isCitrus Under Protective Screen (CUPS); CUPS uses high-density semi-dwarfed trees or pottedtrees to limit tree size due to canopy height limitations. Citrus under enclosed structures canexclude the Asian citrus psyllid and eliminate the negative effects of citrus greening to high valuevarieties like the grapefruit. However both of these new grove architectures will require newcompatible equipment systems to manage production and harvesting but they may createalternate crop disease and pest pressures that require precision spray control to manage.GeoSpider Inc has been developing both mass and selective harvesting technologies forhigh density ACPS. However we recognize that there is a signficant overlap between ACPS andCUPS not only in harvesting but also in sprayer related technologies. The citrus industry is facinga challenge with respect to a large number of disease and pests that require the use of expensivechemicals some of which require monthly application. With growing environmental pressures andconcerns over agricultural sustainability it will be crucial to develop more efficient autonomoustechnologies that can scout and map disease and pest pressures using artificial intelligence whichcan build prescription maps along with real-time canopy mapping to optimize sprayer efficacy andminimize overspray and drift which will result in environmental and economic benefits forproducers.In this Phase I project we will develop a scaled concept prototype to demonstrateautonomus navigation canopy mapping under screen localization and precision spraying withthe following specific objectives: 1) We will adapt an earlier greenhouse robot sprayer rig fordemonstration of autonomous navigation under canopy and spraying in CUPS while 2) a mannedJD Gator and a pull behind sprayer will be equipped with the sensory systems for scoutingnavigation canopy mapping and precision spraying using technologies developed during priorresearch. In addition 3) advanced concept design and modeling will be done for the full-scalePhase II robot scout and sensory suite. 4) Field tests will be conducted using the scaled Phase Iprototype at the Dundee CUPS facilities. In the planned Phase II project we will integrate thetechnology components from prior research and this Phase I project to build a commercial Ph