Method and apparatus for weed control using a high intensity light source
View Patent ↗An apparatus and method for control of undesired vegetation. A renewable power source, tractor, and high intensity light source are provided and moved over an area of land. Exposure of unwanted vegetation to the high intensity light kills the unwanted vegetation.
1. An apparatus for controlling undesired vegetation consisting of:
a power subassembly providing energy from on-farm renewable electrical generation sources,
a light subassembly comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes configured to produce visible light electrically connected to the power subassembly wherein the light subassembly is configured to be powered entirely by the on-farm renewable electrical generation sources, and
a tractor coupled to the light subassembly and configured to move the light subassembly over an area of land such that the visible light is directed downward onto vegetation directly beneath the light subassembly and the vegetation directly beneath the light subassembly is directly exposed to the visible light from the light subassembly as the tractor travels over the area of land and wherein the vegetation exposed to the visible light from the light subassembly dies as a result of being exposed to the visible light from the light subassembly.
2. A method for controlling undesired vegetation consisting of:
providing a tractor,
providing a high intensity light source mounted to the tractor, wherein the high intensity light source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes configured to produce visible light,
wherein the tractor is configured to move the high intensity light source and wherein the high intensity light source is powered entirely by on-farm renewable electrical generation sources,
controlling the tractor to move the high intensity light source over an area of land such that light is directed downward onto vegetation directly beneath the high intensity light source and the vegetation directly beneath the high intensity light source is directly exposed to the light from the high intensity light source as the tractor travels over the area of land and wherein the vegetation exposed to the light from the light subassembly dies as a result of being exposed to the light from the light subassembly,
providing remote human-in-the-loop feedback to identify undesired vegetation in real time, and
managing costs when linked with real-time power markets.