Synergy Workshop on Agroecology and Agricultural Technologies: Key Outcomes for the PreWeM Project
The workshop titled “Agroecological Approaches, Digital Tools and New Technologies in Agriculture: Results, Prospects and Impacts” was successfully held, bringing together the research teams of the ONE GREEN, ARTs, and PreWeM projects. The event provided a valuable platform for constructive dialogue, knowledge exchange, and the presentation of results generated over the past two years. These discussions have laid the groundwork for strengthened collaborations and future joint initiatives.
As part of the programme, three dedicated presentations highlighted the progress and innovations of the PreWeM project:
Dr. Gerassimos Peteinatos – Presentation of the project Precision Weed Management in Cotton – PreWeM
Ioannis Glykos – Innovative machine vision system for detecting crop rows in robotic-mechanical weed control
Dr. Nikolaos Katsenios – Evaluation of weed management and design of weed control strategies in cotton cultivation
These contributions showcased the multidimensional scope of PreWeM, ranging from the development of advanced weed management strategies to the application of cutting-edge machine vision technologies for precision mechanical weeding. The project’s work demonstrates its commitment to supporting the transition toward smarter, more efficient, and sustainable agricultural practices.
Appreciation is extended to all organizers, researchers, and participants for their engagement and contributions to a highly productive and insightful event.
Ongoing Field Trials for the PreWeM Project During the Summer Season
Despite the summer break period, field activities for the PreWeM project continue with steady progress. The latest round of trials has been completed on the project’s cotton experimental plot, where key mechanical weed management tools, including finger-weeders, goose-foot knives, and protection disks, were evaluated under real field conditions.
These trials form part of the project’s broader effort to advance and modernize mechanical weed control practices in cotton cultivation. By assessing tool performance, efficiency, and crop safety, PreWeM aims to contribute to the development of more effective, sustainable, and technologically informed weed management solutions.
PreWeM Project Presented at Southwest University’s Global Immersion Program in China
The PreWeM project and its advancements in AI-driven weed management were recently featured at Southwest University in Chongqing, China, as part of the institution’s Global Immersion Program (GIP). Students and faculty attending the summer course were introduced to cutting-edge research connecting computer vision with precision agriculture, highlighting the international relevance and impact of the project’s innovations.
The lecture, titled “Artificial Intelligence in Machine Vision Systems for Agriculture: The Example of Crop Row Identification for Precision Mechanical Weeding,” provided an overview of core computer vision concepts using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and demonstrated their application through real-world case studies. The session also included insights and technological developments from the PreWeM project, prompting productive discussion and feedback from participants.
The event underscored the growing global interest in AI-based agricultural technologies and the importance of knowledge exchange between research institutions. Appreciation is extended to the organizing faculty and collaborators for facilitating this engagement and for contributing to the dissemination of advanced agricultural research to international academic audiences.
PreWeM Research Presented at the 20th EWRS Symposium
Important results from the PreWeM project were presented at the 20th Symposium of the European Weed Research Society (EWRS), held in Lleida, Spain. This year’s symposium marked the 50th anniversary of the event, bringing together leading experts in weed science and precision agriculture.
During the session on “Weed Detection Using AI,” the Soil & Water Resources Institute of ELGO DIMITRA presented recent research conducted within the framework of PreWeM, in collaboration with the Precision Weed Management Working Group of EWRS. The presentation, titled “Crop Row Identification in Lettuce for Precision Mechanical Weeding Using YOLOv8n and YOLOv11n,” highlighted advances in AI-based crop row detection and their potential contribution to the development of more accurate and efficient mechanical weed control systems.
The participation of the PreWeM project in this international symposium underscores the growing importance of applying deep-learning models and computer vision techniques to support precision weeding strategies in horticultural crops. The discussions and exchanges held during the event contributed to strengthening collaborations within the EWRS Precision Weed Management Working Group and to further promoting innovation in sustainable weed management.
Launch of the Second Round of Field Trials within the PreWeM Project
The second round of field trials within the PreWeM research programme has officially commenced. As part of the ongoing experimental activities, the project continues to expand its database with new multispectral imagery collected from both lettuce and cotton cultivation systems.
The latest fieldwork, carried out this week, provided high-resolution multispectral data that will support the development, training, and validation of advanced detection and analysis models. These datasets constitute an important component of the project’s efforts to enhance precision weed management through remote sensing and machine-learning methodologies.
The PreWeM team acknowledges the valuable support of the University of Hohenheim’s Department of Agricultural Engineering and Bioenergy, and expresses its appreciation to Prof. Dr. Ronald Gerhards for providing access to the multispectral camera used in this phase of data collection.
More updates will follow as the experimental campaign progresses and as new datasets are integrated into the project’s analytical framework.
Participation in the 22nd Weed Science Society of Greece
The 22nd Panhellenic Conference “Sustainable Agriculture and the Role of Weed Science”, organized by the Weed Science Society of Greece, was successfully held this week, bringing together researchers, agronomists, and professionals from across the country. The event served as an important platform for the exchange of scientific knowledge, new approaches, and emerging perspectives in the field of weed science.
The Soil & Water Resources Institute of ELGO-DIMITRA participated in the conference with two presentations showcasing ongoing work carried out within the framework of the PreWeM research and development programme.
The first presentation, titled “Optimization of Mechanical Weed Control: Detection of Crop Rows Using Optical Sensors and Artificial Intelligence,” focused on innovative methods for enhancing the precision and effectiveness of mechanical weed management. The work highlighted the integration of advanced sensing technologies and AI-based crop row detection to support more targeted and efficient mechanical interventions.
The second presentation, “Precision Weed Management in Arable Crops: The Example of Precision Mechanical Weed Control in Greece,” provided an overview of the PreWeM project, addressing broader aspects of precision weed management and demonstrating how modern technologies can support sustainable crop production. The presentation outlined practical examples and field results illustrating the potential of precision mechanical weed control in Greek agricultural systems.
Through these contributions, the PreWeM project shared critical insights into digital and mechanical weed management solutions, emphasizing their role in promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
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!