TY - JOUR

T1 - Side-effects of laser weeding

T2 - quantifying off-target risks to earthworms (Enchytraeids) and insects (Tenebrio molitor and Adalia bipunctata) [Corrigendum incl.]

AU - Andreasen, Christian

AU - Vlassi, Eleni

AU - Johannsen, Kenneth S.

AU - Jensen, Signe Marie

N1 - Corrigendum: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2024.1376450/full?&utm_source=Email_to_authors_&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=T1_11.5e1_author&utm_campaign=Email_publication&field=&journalName=Frontiers_in_Agronomy&id=1376450 https://doi.org/10.3389/fagro.2024.1376450

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - With challenges posed by chemical and mechanical weed control, there are nowseveral research and commercial projects underway to develop autonomousvehicles equipped with lasers to control weeds in field crops. Recognitionsystems based on artificial intelligence have been developed to locate andidentify small weed seedlings, and mirrors can direct a laser beam towards thetarget to kill the weed with heat. Unlike chemical and mechanical weed control,laser weeding only exposes a small area of the field for the treatment. Laserweeding leaves no chemicals in the field after the treatment or does not movethe soil which may harm crop roots and non-target organisms. Yet, it is well-known that laser beams can harm living organisms; the effect on theenvironment and fauna should be studied before laser weeding becomes acommon practice. This project aimed to study the effect of laser on some livingnon-target organisms. We investigated the effect of laser treatment on themortality of two species of earthworms (Enchytraeus albidus and Enchytraeuscrypticus), larvae, pupas, and beetles of yellow mealworm beetles (Tenebriomolitor) and the two-spotted lady beetle (Adalia bipunctata) for increasingdosages of laser energy. In all earthworms experiments except one, themortality rates of the worms living in the uppermost soil layer of clay, sandy,and organic soil exposed to laser heating were not significantly different from thecontrols even with laser dosages up to 236 J mm -2. Laser doses sufficient to killplants were lethal to the insects, and lower doses that did not kill plants, killed orharmed the insects across all life stages tested. The larger beetles survived higherdoses than smaller. Laser weeding is a relatively new technology and not yetwidely practiced or commercialized. Therefore, we do not discuss and comparethe costs of the different weeding methods at this early stage of the developmentof the technology.

AB - With challenges posed by chemical and mechanical weed control, there are nowseveral research and commercial projects underway to develop autonomousvehicles equipped with lasers to control weeds in field crops. Recognitionsystems based on artificial intelligence have been developed to locate andidentify small weed seedlings, and mirrors can direct a laser beam towards thetarget to kill the weed with heat. Unlike chemical and mechanical weed control,laser weeding only exposes a small area of the field for the treatment. Laserweeding leaves no chemicals in the field after the treatment or does not movethe soil which may harm crop roots and non-target organisms. Yet, it is well-known that laser beams can harm living organisms; the effect on theenvironment and fauna should be studied before laser weeding becomes acommon practice. This project aimed to study the effect of laser on some livingnon-target organisms. We investigated the effect of laser treatment on themortality of two species of earthworms (Enchytraeus albidus and Enchytraeuscrypticus), larvae, pupas, and beetles of yellow mealworm beetles (Tenebriomolitor) and the two-spotted lady beetle (Adalia bipunctata) for increasingdosages of laser energy. In all earthworms experiments except one, themortality rates of the worms living in the uppermost soil layer of clay, sandy,and organic soil exposed to laser heating were not significantly different from thecontrols even with laser dosages up to 236 J mm -2. Laser doses sufficient to killplants were lethal to the insects, and lower doses that did not kill plants, killed orharmed the insects across all life stages tested. The larger beetles survived higherdoses than smaller. Laser weeding is a relatively new technology and not yetwidely practiced or commercialized. Therefore, we do not discuss and comparethe costs of the different weeding methods at this early stage of the developmentof the technology.

UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2024.1376450/full?&utm_source=Email_to_authors_&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=T1_11.5e1_author&utm_campaign=Email_publication&field=&journalName=Frontiers_in_Agronomy&id=1376450

U2 - 10.3389/fagro.2023.1198840

DO - 10.3389/fagro.2023.1198840

M3 - Journal article

VL - 5

JO - Frontiers in Agronomy

JF - Frontiers in Agronomy

SN - 2673-3218

M1 - 1198840

ER -