Field trials started in Oropos
To kick off this exciting phase, lettuce has been selected as the first crop to gain valuable insight into the functionality of the PreWeM robotic system. Approximately 1200 lettuces were planted and divided into 8 different plots. The initial tests will serve as an example of the implementation steps of AI model training, robotic mechanism development and system evaluation.
A heartfelt thank-you to PreWeM incredible team for their unwavering dedication to field research, planting, and hard work, and a special shoutout to Dr. Gerassimos Peteinatos , Dr. Nikolaos Katsenios, and our PhD candidate Ioannis Glykos for their meticulous planning, tireless efforts, and expertise that have made this milestone possible.
Participation in "Robotic Weeding in Sugar Beet" summer school
PreWem participated in “Robotic Weeding in Sugar Beet”, organized by the joint summer school of ELLS and EWRS European Weed Research Society, at the University of Hohenheim.
PreWeM’s team had the privilege of presenting PreWem’s case to the coordinators and the 30 participants of the summer camp. The camp focused on innovative technologies in precision agriculture, featuring demonstrations of 8 cutting-edge robotic systems for precision weed management through large-scale experiments in a sugar beet field.
During this event, PreWeM team gathered essential insights and supplies to evaluate and compose the most suitable implementations for weed management in cotton. While finger weeders will play a significant role, PreWeM’s primary mission is to adapt these weeders for cotton cultivation.
EWRS workshop participation
PreWeM participated in the 3-day workshop organized by EWRS European Weed Research Society titled “Sustainable Use of Herbicides and Novel Weeding Solutions in Cropping Systems,” which took place in Belgrade, Serbia, from May 13th to 15th, 2024! The workshop focused on raising awareness about alternative weed management techniques and featured related projects among weed research scientists and relevant stakeholders.
With over 20 participants attending both remotely and in person, Dr. Peteinatos presented on PreWeM’s application, titled “Precision Weed Management in Cotton.” His presentation raised awareness about the PreWeM project, showcased the capabilities of utilizing site-specific mechanical weed control in cotton, pinpointed the current challenges, and discussed potential solutions, with valuable contributions from the authors Dr. Katsenios, Dr. Efthimiadou, Dr. Chachalis, and Dr. Ferentinos.
A heartfelt thank you to the coordinators of the workshop, Dr. Simić, Dr. Chachalis, Dr. Brankov, and Dr. Dragicevic. None of this could have happened without the contributions of Mr. Ioannis Glykos, Dr. Peteinatos, and Dr. Chachalis.
PreWeM kick-off meeting
On Thursday, April 18th, we had the first kick-off meeting for PreWeM and ARTs at Benaki Phytopathological Institute (BPI), funded by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HFRI). With approximately 18 members participating both in-person and remotely, the event was a great success! Huge thanks to everyone who joined us and contributed their valuable insights.
Special shoutout to the coordinators of this program, Dr. Gerassimos Peteinatos and Dr. Dinos Ferentinos, and a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Demos Chachalis for his invaluable contributions to idea exchange and sharing of opinions, and for graciously hosting us at Benaki Phytopathological Institute (BPI). Looking forward to the journey ahead as we work together towards our goals!