Devices and method for protecting crop plants and/or sown seeds against unwanted plants
View Patent ↗A device for protecting crop plants (P) and/or sown seeds (S) against unwanted plants is provided to avoid the use of chemical weed control agents or herbicides. The device includes a ribbon or lace-shaped structure on which a plurality of annular elements are arranged at a distance from one another, in which the structure is designed to be applied to a cultivated surface (F) such that each element encloses the location (O) of a crop plant (P) or sown seed (S), and wherein each element includes a detectable means for marking the location concerned (O 1 , O 2 , . . . On) for detection by a machine for controlling mechanical weed control mechanisms. The device is thus an auxiliary or marking means which can be easily applied on the cultivated surface along the row of plants or seeds and allows reliable detection by machine of the locations of plants or seeds, zones to be protected.
1 . A method ( 100 ) for protecting crop plants (P) and/or sown seeds (S) against unwanted seedlings by means of a device ( 10 ) for protecting crop plants (P) and/or sown seeds (S) against unwanted plants or weeds, wherein the device comprises:
a reusable, ribbon- or rope-shaped structure ( 11 ) to which a plurality of annular elements ( 12 ) are attached and spaced apart from one another, wherein the reusable, ribbon- or rope-shaped structure ( 11 ) has a width narrower than each annular element and is applied to a cultivated surface (F) se such that each annular element ( 12 ) encloses the location (O) of a useful plant (P) or its sown seeds (S) to mark and indicate a respective location (O 1 , O 2 , . . . On) as an annular protection and crop zone, and wherein each annular element ( 12 ) has a detectable metallic or magnetic material ( 12 A) to mark or indicate the respective location (O 1 , O 2 , . . . On) for detection by a machine to manage mechanical weed removal outside each annular protection and crop zone,
wherein the method ( 100 ) comprises the following steps:
applying ( 110 ) to the cultivated surface (F) the reusable ribbon- or rope-shaped structure ( 11 ) to which the plurality of annular elements ( 12 ) are attached spaced apart from one another, each annular element ( 12 ) enclosing the location (O) of the crop plant (P) or the sown seeds (S) as the annular protection and crop zone;
detecting ( 120 ) each annular element ( 12 ) having said detectable metallic or magnetic material ( 12 A) to mark or indicate the respective location (O 1 , O 2 , . . . On) for detection by machine to manage mechanical weed removal;
mechanically removing ( 130 ) by said machine unwanted plants or weeds outside the marked or indicated locations (O 1 , O 2 , . . . On) of the plants (P 1 , P 2 , . . . Pn) or the sown seeds (S).
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detectable metallic or magnetic material is configured for inductive and/or magnetic detection.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein below each of the detectable metallic or magnetic material ( 12 A) at least one fixing element ( 12 B) is arranged to be inserted into a root ball (B) of the respective plant (P) or into a soil ball (E, E*) surrounding the sown seed(S).
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said ribbon- or rope-shaped structure ( 11 ) is elastic and adapted to be wound on and unwound from a spool (SP).
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the device ( 10 ) is equipped with a fertilization and/or irrigation system (BWS) which, together with the ribbon- or rope-shaped structure ( 11 ), is configured to be brought, together with the ribbon- or rope-shaped structure ( 11 ), into the soil.
6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a root ball (B) of the plant (P) or a soil ball (E, E*) surrounding the sown seeds (S) is placed in a water- and/or nutrient-permeable sleeve (H) which can be introduced into the soil.
7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the root ball (B) of the plant (P) or the soil ball (E, E*) surrounding the sown seeds (S) is placed in the water- and/or nutrient-permeable sleeve (H), and which is introduced into the soil together with a fertilization and/or irrigation systems (BWS).
8 . The method ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein after harvesting the crop plants (P), the device ( 10 ) is removed ( 140 ) from the cultivated surface (F) for reuse for subsequent new plantings or sowing of seeds.
9 . The method ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein before the step ( 110 ) for applying the ribbon- or rope-shaped structure ( 11 ), the method further comprises attaching a plant (P) being provided with a root ball (B) or seeds (S) surrounded by a soil ball (E, E′) to one of the annular elements ( 12 ).
10 . The method ( 100 ) according to claim 9 , wherein before the step ( 110 ) for applying the ribbon- or rope-shaped structure ( 11 ), attaching the plant (P) being provided with the root ball (B) or the seeds (S) surrounded by the soil ball (E, E′) to one of the annular elements ( 12 ) by means of a fixing element ( 12 B) which is arranged below the detectable metallic or magnetic material ( 12 A) and is inserted into the root ball (B).
11 . The method ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the ribbon- or rope-shaped structure ( 11 ) is disposed on the cultivated surface (F) together with the attached plants (P) or the seeds (S).