Dear Monsanto: "Weed Control Using Laser" (and robots) MON

From Leibniz University:

Research group develops environmentally-friendly procedure as an alternative to poison

Chickweed, dandelion and shepherd’s purse are much dreaded enemies of cultivated plants in both agriculture and gardening. Young maize, rape or beet plants compete with such weeds for light, water and nutrients. Herbicides are today’s medium of choice for weed control. But the use of these toxic substances is both controversial and expensive. A team of scientists from Leibniz Universität Hannover and Laser Zentrum Hannover (LZH) is now investigating an alternative: weed control using laser. When herbicides are used, overdoses and the distribution of the substances by the wind can lead to harmful residues in the soil and the water. In organic farming, weeding is done by hand or by using flame throwers, which has only a limited effect on the weeds and is not practicable in conventional farming.

Could robots or drones weeding beds and fields using laser be the answer? At the moment this is only a pipe dream, but in a few years such scenarios could be far from impossible. The laser beam is directed into the growth centre of the plant, thus killing it. In a project funded by the German Research Council (DFG), the scientists started by adjusting the energy of the laser precisely and effectively to the type and height of the plant. “We have to place the beam directly where it is needed,” says project leader Prof. Thomas Rath from the Institute of Biological Production Systems....MORE