Researchers will teach robots to grow wheat and clover grass on the same field

Imagine a field without a tractor. Instead, the heavy machinery is replaced by smaller, self-driving robots.

That’s the vision behind the new Robotic Intercropping project. Led by Professor Svend Christensen from the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, the ambitious project is a collaboration between the University of Copenhagen, the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), the University of Southern Denmark, and Wageningen University in the Netherlands.

To pave the way for more robots in agriculture, the researchers will have two main focus areas: to investigate how the capabilities and intelligence of agricultural robots can be enhanced, and to explore the possibilities of switching to the cultivation of different crops such as wheat, faba beans and rapeseed, along with clover grass, lucerne and other species that can fix nitrogen.

Strip cropping instead of monoculture

One way to achieve this transformation is by challenging traditional farming systems. Monoculture - growing a single crop over large areas - has proven highly efficient, but it also poses risks to the environment and biodiversity. Instead, the project will investigate intercropping, where different types of crops are grown side by side in strips that autonomous robots can tend to.

“Large machinery and monoculture go hand in hand because it’s efficient. But if we want to grow multiple crops together, it requires fresh thinking and new types of equipment. Our goal is to develop systems where several crops are cultivated side by side in smaller strips using autonomous robots. This involves managing competition between crops, both above and below ground, and that’s where robots can make a real difference,” said Professor Svend Christensen.

Smaller, autonomous agricultural robots equipped with artificial intelligence offer several advantages. Their light weight is gentler on the soil, while AI enables continuous monitoring of plant growth and health. The robots can also collaborate on complex tasks, such as responding quickly to changes in weather or field conditions.

Improving the artificial intelligence

Although robots are already used in agriculture, further development of their intelligence and autonomy is needed if they are to take over tasks currently performed by traditional machinery and human labour.

The Novo Nordisk Foundation has awarded DKK 75 million over five years to support the project. The Foundation expects the initiative to be a significant step towards modern, digitalised intercropping methods in agriculture.

“There is a pressing need to develop new technologies and cultivation methods that can deliver more sustainable and efficient food production. The Robotic Intercropping project could help point the way towards high-yield farming with fewer inputs and reduced environmental impact - while also demonstrating how innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration can accelerate the green transition. That’s why we’ve chosen to support the project,” says Claus Felby, Vice President for Agri-Food at the Novo Nordisk Foundation.