DE102021203936A1 - Method of applying two different sprays to an agricultural area - Google Patents

Abstract

A method is proposed for applying two different sprays (26, 32) to an agricultural area using an agricultural spraying device which has a first spray circuit (20) with a first spray tank (24) and a first spray nozzle unit (28) and one of the first fluidically separate second spray medium circuit (22) with a second spray medium tank (30) and a second spray nozzle unit (34). The method has a step of providing a first spray agent (26) in the first spray agent tank (24) of the first spray agent circuit (20) of the spraying device, the first spray agent (26) containing at least one plant protection agent (A, B) that is particularly effective on the soil and is to be applied over the entire surface. has or consists of. The method also has a step of providing (104) a second spray agent (32) in the second spray agent tank (30) of the second spray agent circuit (22) of the spraying device, the second spray agent (32) being the same at least one spray agent to be applied over the entire surface, in particular effective on the soil Plant protection agent (A, B) corresponding to the first spray agent (26) and also comprises or consists of at least one selective, in particular foliar-acting, and/or at least one non-selective, in particular foliar-acting herbicide (C-G). The method also has a step of applying either the first spray (26) by means of the first spray nozzle unit (28) or the second spray (32) by means of the second spray nozzle unit (34) to field sections of the agricultural area depending on a plant code of an image evaluation area of the respective field section.

Description

State of the art

The invention relates to a method for applying two different sprays to an agricultural area by means of an agricultural spraying device and a corresponding control unit and an agricultural spraying device for applying two different sprays to an agricultural area according to the species of the independent claims.

Modern plant protection equipment has the technical prerequisites for site-specific application of spray liquid. On the one hand, these technical requirements include the ability to switch individual nozzles or sections on and off, the ability to couple the nozzle or section control with an application map or a suitable sensor system, and the composition of the spray mixture by feeding in additional crop protection products via direct injection depending on the weed population to change. Such a sensor system can be a weed sensor, for example.

If the full-area application is carried out properly, each area of the field is treated with the target application rate (volume per area). The spray mixture is applied through a nozzle with defined properties to ensure the effectiveness of the crop protection agent (distribution, droplet size, adhesion to the site of action, ...). Appropriate prerequisites must also be ensured in the case of a site-specific application in order to ensure the effectiveness of the plant protection product.

With regard to weed composition, a basic distinction is made between 2 classes of plants: grasses (monocots) and weeds (dicots), which differ in terms of morphology and physiology (uptake of the active substance, transport to the site of action, metabolism/activation of the active substance, site of action of herbicides). Depending on the weed class and species, different (selective) herbicides can be used for effective treatment. With regard to the way in which a herbicide is taken up, a distinction is made between so-called soil herbicides (roots) and foliar herbicides (cultivars). While soil herbicides are applied preventively to weeds that have not yet fully emerged, foliar herbicides can only be absorbed via existing leaf mass. This requires that soil herbicides be applied over the entire area (and as a precaution/without indication) in the field, while foliar herbicides can be applied to a specific area depending on the weed occurrence.

Depending on the existing hardware on a crop protection device, different operating strategies or application logics result from the requirements of the different areas.

the DE 10 2017 210 804 A1 discloses a method of applying a spray to a field, wherein the spray is applied to a defined weed area as a function of a degree of coverage.

Disclosure of Invention

• - Bereitstellen eines ersten Spritzmittels in dem ersten Spritzmitteltank des ersten Spritzmittelkreislaufs der Spritzvorrichtung, wobei das erste Spritzmittel zumindest ein vollflächig auszubringendes, insbesondere bodenwirksames Pflanzenschutzmittel aufweist oder daraus besteht;
• - Bereitstellen eines zweiten Spritzmittels in dem zweiten Spritzmitteltank des zweiten Spritzmittelkreislaufs der Spritzvorrichtung, wobei das zweite Spritzmittel das gleiche zumindest eine vollflächig auszubringende, insbesondere bodenwirksame Pflanzenschutzmittel entsprechend dem ersten Spritzmittel und ferner zumindest ein selektives, insbesondere blattwirksames, und/oder zumindest ein nicht-selektives, insbesondere blattwirksames Herbizid aufweist oder daraus besteht; und
• - Ausbringen entweder des ersten Spritzmittels mittels der ersten Spritzdüseneinheit oder des zweiten Spritzmittels mittels der zweiten Spritzdüseneinheit auf Feldabschnitte der landwirtschaftlichen Fläche in Abhängigkeit von einer Pflanzenkennzahl eines Bildauswertebereichs des jeweiligen Feldabschnitts.

The subject matter of the present invention is a method for applying two different sprays to an agricultural area by means of an agricultural spraying device which has a first spray circuit with a first spray tank and a first spray nozzle unit and a second spray circuit which is fluidically separate from the first and has a second spray tank and a second spray nozzle unit has, with the steps:

• - Providing a first spray agent in the first spray agent tank of the first spray agent circuit of the spray device, wherein the first spray agent has or consists of at least one plant protection agent that is to be applied over the entire surface, in particular that has an effect on the soil;
• - Provision of a second spray agent in the second spray agent tank of the second spray agent circuit of the spray device, wherein the second spray agent is the same at least one plant protection agent that is to be applied over the entire area, in particular that acts on the soil, corresponding to the first spray agent and also at least one selective, in particular foliar agent, and/or at least one non-selective one , in particular foliar herbicide comprises or consists of; and
• - Application of either the first spray by means of the first spray nozzle unit or the second spray by means of the second spray nozzle unit on field sections of the agricultural area depending on a plant index of an image evaluation area of the respective field section.

• - Empfangen von Bildinformationen, welche mittels einer optischen Erfassungseinheit einer landwirtschaftlichen Spritzvorrichtung erfasste Feldabschnitte einer landwirtschaftlichen Fläche repräsentieren;
• - Ermitteln einer Pflanzenkennzahl für jeweils einen Bildauswertebereich der erfassten Feldabschnitte unter Verwendung der Bildinformationen; und
• - Ausgeben eines Steuersignals in Abhängigkeit von der ermittelten Pflanzenkennzahl des jeweiligen Bildauswertebereichs des jeweiligen Feldabschnitts
  • o entweder an eine erste Spritzdüseneinheit der landwirtschaftlichen Spritzvorrichtung, um ein erstes Spritzmittel aus einem ersten Spritzmitteltank über einen ersten Spritzmittelkreislauf der landwirtschaftlichen Spritzvorrichtung auf den jeweiligen erfassten Feldabschnitt auszubringen, wobei das erste Spritzmittel zumindest ein vollflächig auszubringendes, insbesondere bodenwirksames Pflanzenschutzmittel aufweist oder daraus besteht;
  • ◯ oder an eine zweite Spritzdüseneinheit der landwirtschaftlichen Spritzvorrichtung, um ein zweites Spritzmittel aus einem zweiten Spritzmitteltank über einen von dem ersten fluidisch getrennten zweiten Spritzmittelkreislauf der landwirtschaftlichen Spritzvorrichtung auf den jeweiligen erfassten Feldabschnitt auszubringen, wobei das zweite Spritzmittel das gleiche zumindest eine vollflächig auszubringende, insbesondere bodenwirksame Pflanzenschutzmittel entsprechend dem ersten Spritzmittel und ferner zumindest ein selektives, insbesondere blattwirksames, und/oder zumindest ein nicht-selektives, insbesondere blattwirksames Herbizid aufweist oder daraus besteht.

The subject matter of the present invention is also a control unit that is set up to carry out the following steps:

• - receiving image information which represents field sections of an agricultural area detected by means of an optical detection unit of an agricultural spraying device;
• - Determining a plant index for a respective image evaluation area of the detected field sections using the image information; and
• - Outputting a control signal as a function of the determined plant identification number of the respective image evaluation area of the respective field section
  • o either to a first spray nozzle unit of the agricultural spraying device, in order to apply a first spraying agent from a first spraying agent tank via a first spraying agent circuit of the agricultural spraying device to the respective recorded field section, with the first spraying agent having or consisting of at least one plant protection agent that is to be applied over the entire surface, in particular a soil-acting agent;
  • ◯ or to a second spray nozzle unit of the agricultural spraying device, in order to apply a second spraying agent from a second spraying agent tank via a second spraying agent circuit of the agricultural spraying device that is fluidically separate from the first to the respective detected field section, with the second spraying agent being the same at least one spray agent to be applied over the entire surface, in particular effective on the soil Plant protection agent corresponding to the first spray agent and also comprises or consists of at least one selective, in particular foliar-acting, and/or at least one non-selective, in particular foliar-acting herbicide.

• - einem ersten Spritzmittelkreislauf aufweisend einen ersten Spritzmitteltank und eine erste Spritzdüseneinheit;
• - einem von dem ersten fluidisch getrennten zweiten Spritzmittelkreislauf aufweisend einen zweiten Spritzmitteltank und eine zweite Spritzdüseneinheit;
• - einer optischen Erfassungseinheit zum Erfassen von Feldabschnitten der landwirtschaftlichen Fläche; und
• - einer vorhergehend beschriebenen Steuereinheit.

The subject of the present invention is also an agricultural spraying device for applying two different spraying agents to an agricultural area

• - A first spray circuit having a first spray tank and a first spray nozzle unit;
• - A fluidically separate from the first second spray agent circuit having a second spray agent tank and a second spray nozzle unit;
• - An optical detection unit for detecting field sections of the agricultural area; and
• - a previously described control unit.

Finally, the subject matter of the present invention is a computer program that is set up to execute and/or control the steps of a previously described control unit when the computer program is executed on a computer, and a machine-readable storage medium with the computer program stored thereon.

The method according to the invention is intended for agricultural spraying devices having two fluidically separate spraying agent circuits, each with a circuit-specific spraying agent tank and a circuit-specific spray nozzle unit. The method according to the invention provides an operating strategy adapted to the detection performance of plants (degree of classification) and the existing hardware with optimized spray agent distribution in the two spray agent tanks in order to achieve both high effectiveness and high spray agent savings. The recognition performance can be limited, for example, to the recognition of only green pixels and row structures or the identification or classification of only weeds or only cultivated plants.

The method is intended for, but not limited to, agricultural purposes. In the context of the present invention, an agricultural purpose can be understood to mean a purpose which is aimed at the economic cultivation of useful plants.

In this case, the spraying agent is applied to an agricultural area or an area used for agriculture. This can be understood to mean a field or an area under cultivation for plants or also a parcel of such an area under cultivation. The agricultural area can thus be arable land, grassland or pasture. The plants can include, for example, crop plants or useful plants whose fruit is used agriculturally (for example as food, animal feed or as an energy crop) and weeds, weeds and grass weeds.

The application of the sprays takes place during one, i.e. the same treatment process of the agricultural area.

All steps of the method are preferably carried out during a movement, in particular a drive or a flight of the agricultural spraying device over the agricultural area.

The agricultural spraying device is advantageously designed to carry out the method automatically and/or autonomously in order to enable the agricultural area to be treated quickly, reliably and efficiently.

The agricultural sprayer can in particular be part of an agricultural Field sprayer or a crop protection device or be designed as an agricultural field sprayer or a crop protection device. The agricultural spraying device can comprise a mobile unit or be arranged on a mobile unit, wherein the mobile unit can be designed in particular as a land vehicle and/or aircraft and/or trailer. The mobile unit can in particular be an agricultural working machine, for example a tractor, a tractor, a self-propelled or autonomous field sprayer or a self-propelled or autonomous robot. The agricultural spraying device can in particular be a towed field sprayer, a self-propelled field sprayer or a mounted field sprayer. The agricultural spray device can also be attached to a hydraulic device of an agricultural working machine. It is also conceivable that the agricultural spraying device is installed on a loading area of an agricultural working machine. Alternatively, the spray device can be attached to the agricultural working machine.

The agricultural spray device has a first spray medium circuit for dispensing a first spray medium and a second spray medium circuit, which is fluidically separate from the first, for dispensing a second spray medium. That is, in other words, that the agricultural spray device has two fluidically separate spray agent circuits for applying two different spray agents. Accordingly, the two spray agent circuits are designed in such a way that there is no mixing or no contact of the two spray agents within the spray agent circuits.

The first spray agent circuit has a circuit-specific first spray agent tank for the first spray agent and a circuit-specific first spray nozzle unit for dispensing the first spray agent. Understandably, the first spray agent circuit also has a corresponding first line system. The second spray agent circuit has a circuit-specific second spray agent tank for the second spray agent and a circuit-specific second spray nozzle unit for dispensing the second spray agent. Understandably, the second spray agent circuit also has a corresponding second line system. The first spray medium circuit and the second spray medium circuit can be configured or constructed essentially the same.

The spray nozzle units are designed to be controllable or operable. In this case, the spray nozzle units each have at least one spray nozzle, but preferably a large number of spray nozzles and at least one valve, preferably a valve assigned to each spray nozzle, for controlling or regulating the amount of spray agent applied. The valves can be arranged or integrated in the spray nozzles. However, the valves can also be arranged upstream of the spray nozzles, i.e. (in the direction of flow of the spray agent) upstream of the spray nozzles. However, the spray nozzle units can also have several spray nozzles, each with an upstream valve. However, the spray nozzle units can also have several spray nozzles with only one valve upstream of the spray nozzles, so that when the valve is actuated, the spray agent is applied by means of several spray nozzles of the respective spray nozzle unit. The valves can be designed, for example, as pulse width modulated valves (PWM valves) or as proportional valves. The spray nozzles of each spray nozzle unit can be controlled individually or separately and/or in defined groups or associations and/or all together.

One spray nozzle of the two spray nozzle units preferably forms a spray nozzle pair, with the spray nozzles of a spray nozzle pair being designed to apply the respective spray agent to the same field section or to treat the same field section with the respective spray agent during the treatment of the agricultural area. In this case, the spray nozzles of a pair of spray nozzles are preferably arranged next to one another, in particular one behind the other or next to one another in the direction of movement of the agricultural spraying device.

At least one pair of spray nozzles can be assigned to each row of field sections (=field sections along the direction of movement or travel). For example, exactly one pair of spray nozzles or exactly two adjacent pairs of spray nozzles can be assigned to each row of field sections in order to treat them.

The application of the spray can be carried out in particular by means of at least one delivery unit of the agricultural spray device. In this case, the delivery unit can be designed to deliver or direct a liquid under pressure, in particular to meter it. Accordingly, the delivery unit can include, for example, one/one or more pumps, delivery pumps, dosing pumps, pressure accumulators, screw conveyors, valves, diaphragms, etc.

The agricultural spraying device can have an optical detection unit for detecting field sections of the agricultural area in order to obtain image information for determining the plant identification number. The optical detection unit is preferably on land economical spray device arranged. The optical detection unit can have at least one, preferably several cameras, the cameras can be selected from the group consisting of: multispectral and/or hyperspectral and/or infrared and/or camera and/or 3D camera. The optical detection unit can be designed to detect or record images in the NIR and/or visual range. The optical detection unit can have a light or lighting unit. The cameras can be designed to communicate with one another. A camera can be assigned to each row of field sections. However, it is also conceivable for an optical detection unit to detect field sections of two or more rows of field sections.

The spray nozzle units and the optical detection unit are preferably arranged on a spray boom of the agricultural spray device.

The detected field section can be a detection section or a detected image section of an optical detection unit. The field section that is detected is preferably the entire field section that is detected in the field of view of the optical detection unit.

The image information is preferably an image or image of the detected field section.

The two sprays are in particular spray liquids. The spray liquids can be designed, for example, as: liquid, suspension, emulsion, solution or a combination thereof. The spray liquids are preferably diluted with water. The spray liquids can be, for example, agricultural spray mixtures.

The first spray has at least one plant protection agent to be applied over the entire surface or consists of it. The plant protection agent to be applied over the entire area is preferably a soil-acting plant protection agent. The crop protection agent that is to be applied over the entire area, in particular that acts on the soil, can be selected from the group consisting of: insecticide, fungicide, herbicide or combinations thereof. The herbicide in turn can be selected from the group consisting of: non-selective herbicide, selective herbicide, in particular against monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous weeds, broad-spectrum herbicide, specialty herbicide, in particular foliar herbicides, or combinations thereof.

The first spray can also contain a fertilizer, in particular a fertilizer concentrate, and/or a growth regulator and/or an insecticide and/or a fungicide and/or another active ingredient.

The second spray has the same at least one plant protection product that is to be applied over the entire surface, in particular that acts on the soil, as in the first spray. The second spray agent also has or consists of at least one selective and/or at least one non-selective herbicide. The selective herbicide is preferably a foliar herbicide. The selective herbicide may be selected from the group consisting of: herbicide against monocots or dicots, broad spectrum herbicides, specialty herbicides, or combinations thereof. The non-selective herbicide is also preferably a foliar herbicide. The non-selective herbicide may be selected from the group consisting of: broad spectrum herbicide, total herbicide, or combinations thereof.

The second spray can also contain a fertilizer, in particular a fertilizer concentrate, and/or a growth regulator and/or an insecticide and/or a fungicide and/or another active ingredient.

In the application step, either the first spray is applied using the first spray nozzle unit or the second spray is applied using the second spray nozzle unit to field sections of the agricultural area that have been detected in particular by the optical detection unit (so that all field sections of the field are treated). The "spraying decision" is made depending on a plant index of an image evaluation area of the respective field section.

Depending on the number of spray nozzles assigned to the rows of field sections, the corresponding spray is applied at least to the image evaluation area of the respective field section. However, the corresponding spray can be applied to the entire section of the field. The field sections or areas on which spray agent is applied are also referred to below as sprayed or treated field sections.

A step of determining the plant identification number for each image evaluation area of the respective field section using the corresponding image information by means of a control unit, in particular the agricultural spraying device, is preferably provided. Here, the step of determining the plant index preferably includes a step of identifying plant material and/or weeds and/or crops to determine the crop index.

Alternatively or additionally, however, a step of reading out and/or receiving the plant identification number for the field sections together with corresponding position information regarding the agricultural area can also be provided.

Identifying plant material can be understood, for example, as determining the occurrence of plant material or plants in the image evaluation area, in particular without the individual plants being classified in the process. The identification of weeds or crop plants can, for example, include a classification into a weed class and into a rest plant class or into a crop plant class and into a rest plant class. The step of identifying can include detecting a color component, in particular a green color component and/or an infrared component in the field section or image evaluation area. Plants can be detected by means of the optical detection unit, e.g. using a predetermined NDVI value (Normalized Differenced Vegetation Index, it is formed from reflection values in the near infrared and visible red wavelength range of the light spectrum), by removing biomass or vital plants and plant parts from the ground is distinguished.

The image evaluation area is the area of the image information in which the identification takes place and which is evaluated by the control unit to determine the plant identification number.

A field section or the image information of a field section can have several separate image evaluation areas. The number of image evaluation areas per image information can depend on the distance between the spray nozzles and the width of the image information. Each image evaluation area can be assigned to one or more pairs of spray nozzles. For example, with an image information width of 1.5m and a spray nozzle spacing of 0.25m, 6 image evaluation areas would be provided per camera.

In one embodiment, the plant index preferably represents a degree of coverage of the defined image analysis area by plant material and/or a quantity of plant material in the defined image analysis area. Here, the image evaluation area is preferably a defined weed area, which is defined by the control unit using identified rows of cultivated plants in the respective field section. The degree of coverage can be defined as the ratio of the area covered by plant material to the total area to be evaluated. The degree of coverage for the image evaluation areas is therefore the ratio of the area of the overgrown area to the respective overall image evaluation area. For this purpose, the number of pixels in the respective image evaluation area can be determined at which plant material is detected. Accordingly, a measure of the infestation can be derived by means of the plant index, on the basis of which a decision is made as to whether and, if so, how the corresponding field section is sprayed or treated.
The identification of the rows of cultivated plants and the definition of the weed area can be carried out, for example, according to the method mentioned at the outset
DE 10 2017 210 804 A1 take place. This embodiment can advantageously be implemented using an optical detection unit and a computing unit, which can only detect green pixels and row structures.

Thus, for example, in the application step, the first spray can be applied if the degree of coverage of the defined weed area falls below a defined threshold value and the second spray can be applied if the defined threshold value for the degree of coverage of the defined weed area is reached or exceeded. In this case, the treatment is preferably carried out before the crop plants are closed in rows.

In a further embodiment, the plant index represents a number of identified weeds and/or plants identified as non-crop plants in the defined image evaluation area of the respective field section. In this case, the image evaluation area preferably encompasses essentially the entire respective field section that is recorded. This embodiment can advantageously be carried out by means of an optical detection unit and a computing unit which are designed to only be able to classify weeds or only cultivated plants.

The threshold value for the crop index can be 1, for example, so that in the application step the first spray is applied if no weeds and/or only crops are/are identified; and the second spray is applied when at least one weed and/or at least one non-crop is/are identified. However, a threshold value greater than 1 can also be specified, from which point onwards there is a changeover to the second spray agent or to the second spray nozzle unit.

In both embodiments, the threshold value can be manually entered, a previously defined value and transmitted to the system, or a preset value and permanently entered on the system be valuable. Depending on the culture on the agricultural area, the growth stage and the sprays used, a so-called spraying rule can be stored, ie a connection between a specific plant index and the decision as to whether and how much pesticide should be applied.

The spraying agents are preferably applied essentially uniformly to the field sections or the image evaluation areas. In the context of the present invention, uniform application can be understood as application with the same or constant predefined application quantity per area. A predefined application quantity can be understood to mean an application quantity specified in advance or at the beginning of the treatment. The defined application rate can be preset or can be entered in advance.

The process steps of recording the field sections, determining the plant identification numbers and applying the spray are, of course, carried out repeatedly. In this case, the steps of detecting the field sections are preferably carried out or carried out repeatedly in a defined, in particular fixed time interval or in a time interval that is adapted to the driving speed of the agricultural spraying device. That means, in other words, that the field sections are recorded with a defined or a speed-dependent repetition rate.

The control unit can have an arithmetic unit or a large number of arithmetic units for processing signals or data, at least one memory unit for storing signals or data, at least one communication interface for reading in data, in particular for receiving image information and for outputting data, in particular control signals to a Unit, in particular an actuator include. A processing unit can be assigned to each optical detection unit or camera, or each optical detection unit or camera can have its own processing unit. The arithmetic unit is or the arithmetic units are designed or set up for image processing, so that it/they can carry out calculation steps or image processing steps for carrying out the method according to the invention. Accordingly, each computing unit has corresponding image processing software. The arithmetic unit can be a signal processor, a microcontroller or the like, for example, while the storage unit can be a flash memory, an EPROM or a magnetic storage unit. The communication interface can be designed to read in or output data wirelessly and/or by wire, with a communication interface that can read in or output wire-bound data reading this data, for example electrically or optically, from a corresponding data transmission line or outputting it into a corresponding data transmission line. Accordingly, the method according to the invention can be implemented, for example, in software or hardware or in a mixed form of software and hardware in the control unit or a control unit.

The control unit can be arranged completely or partially on or integrated into the agricultural spraying device. However, the control unit can also be completely or partially external, for example integrated in a cloud.

character list

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung einer landwirtschaftlichen Spritzvorrichtung;
• 2 eine schematische Detailansicht von zwei Spritzmittelkreisläufen;
• 3 eine Bildinformation mit identifizierten Pflanzenreihen gemäß einer erfindungsgemäßen Ausgestaltung;
• 4 eine weitere Bildinformation mit identifizierten Nicht-Kulturpflanzen gemäß einer weiteren erfindungsgemäßen Ausgestaltung; und
• 5 ein Ablaufdiagramm eines Verfahrens.

The invention is explained in more detail below by way of example with reference to the attached drawings. Show it:

• 1 a schematic representation of an agricultural sprayer;
• 2 a schematic detailed view of two spray circuits;
• 3 an item of image information with identified rows of plants according to an embodiment of the invention;
• 4 further image information with identified non-crop plants according to a further embodiment of the invention; and
• 5 a flowchart of a method.

In the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference symbols are used for the elements which are shown in the various figures and have a similar effect, with a repeated description of the elements being dispensed with.

In 1 1 is a schematic representation of an agricultural sprayer, which is provided with the reference numeral 10 in its entirety.

The agricultural spraying device 10 is designed as a field sprayer 10 . The field sprayer 10 is arranged on a mobile land vehicle 12 which is designed as a towing vehicle 12 or tractor 12 .

The agricultural spray device 10 is designed to apply two different sprays to an agricultural area 14 with crops 16 and weeds 18 . For this point the agricultural spraying device 10 has two spray medium circuits 20, 22, which in 2 shown in more detail and described in more detail below.

The first spray agent circuit 20 has a first spray agent tank 24 with a first spray agent 26 and a first spray nozzle unit 28 for dispensing the first spray agent 26 . Analogously, the second spray agent circuit 22 has a second spray agent tank 30 with a second spray agent 32 and a second spray nozzle unit 34 for dispensing the second spray agent 32 .

The two spray nozzle units 28, 34 each have a plurality of spray nozzles 38, 40 spaced apart in the longitudinal direction on a spray boom 36. A spray nozzle 38 of the first spray nozzle unit 28 and a spray nozzle 40 of the second spray nozzle unit 34 form a spray nozzle pair 42, with the spray nozzles 38, 40 of a spray nozzle pair 42 being arranged adjacent and one behind the other in the direction of movement of the agricultural spraying device 10.

According to the invention, the first spray means 26 consists of two soil-acting plant protection agents A, B to be applied over the entire area, and the second spray means 32 consists of the same soil-acting plant protection agents A, B to be applied over the entire area as in the first spray means 26, as well as selective, foliar-acting and non-selective, foliar-acting herbicides C-G .

The agricultural spraying device 10 also has an optical detection unit 44 for detecting field sections of the agricultural area 14 in order to obtain image information for determining a plant index. The optical detection unit 44 has a multiplicity of optical cameras 46 which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction on the spray boom 36 . The optical cameras 46 each include a filter unit in order to extract a color component, such as the green color component, from received or captured image information or a captured image in order to capture crop plants 16 or weeds 18 .

The agricultural sprayer 10 also includes a control unit (not shown) connected to the optical cameras 46 to receive information therefrom. The control unit has a large number of processing units, each of which is assigned to an optical camera 46 and is also designed to carry out calculation steps or image processing steps for carrying out the method according to the invention, in particular a plant identification number of an image evaluation area of the respective recorded field section using the image information from the corresponding optical camera 46 to investigate. The control unit is also designed to output a control signal depending on the determined plant identification number of the respective image evaluation area of the respective field section in such a way that either the first spray agent 26 or the second spray agent 32 is applied.

3 shows an embodiment in which the optical cameras 46 and the associated computing units are designed to recognize only green pixels and row structures. Here, the image evaluation area 44 is a defined weed area 44, which is defined by means of the control unit or the corresponding computing unit using identified rows of cultivated plants 46 in the respective field section. The identification of the rows of cultivated plants 46 and the definition of the weed areas 44 are carried out in accordance with those mentioned at the outset DE 10 2017 210 804 A1 . The plant index represents a degree of coverage of the defined weed area 44 by plant material and/or a quantity of plant material in the defined weed area 44.

Thus, the first spray 26 is applied when the degree of coverage of the defined weed area 44 falls below a defined threshold value and the second spray agent 32 is applied when the defined threshold value for the degree of coverage of the defined weed area 44 is reached or exceeded.

4 shows a further embodiment in which the optical cameras 46 and the associated computing units are designed to only classify crops 16 . In this case, the image evaluation area 44 comprises essentially the entire respective field section that is recorded. The plant identification number represents a number of plants 18 identified as non-crop plants, ie weeds 18, in the defined image evaluation area 44 of the respective field section.

Thus, the first spray 26 is applied when only crops 16 are identified, and the second spray 32 when at least one non-crop 18 is identified.

5 shows a flow chart of a method 100 for applying two different spray agents 26, 32 to an agricultural area 14 by means of an agricultural spray device 10, which has a first spray agent circuit 20 with a first spray agent tank 24 and a first spray nozzle unit 28 and a second spray agent circuit 22 that is fluidically separate from the first with a second spray tank 30 and a second spray nozzle unit 34 has. The method comprises a step of providing 102 a first spray agent 26 in the first spray agent tank 24 of the first spray agent circuit 20 of the spraying device 10, wherein the first spray agent 26 has or consists of at least one crop protection agent A, B, in particular one that acts on the soil, to be applied over the entire surface. The method 100 further comprises a step of providing 104 a second spray agent 32 in the second spray agent tank 30 of the second spray agent circuit 34 of the spraying device 10, the second spray agent 32 being the same at least one plant protection agent A, B, in particular soil-acting agent, to be applied over the entire area, corresponding to the first spray agent 26 and furthermore comprises or consists of at least one selective, in particular foliar-acting, and/or one non-selective, in particular foliar-acting herbicide CG. The method 100 also includes a step of detecting 106 the field sections of the agricultural area 14 by means of an optical detection unit 44 of the agricultural spraying device 10 in order to obtain image information for determining the plant identification number. The method 100 further comprises a step of determining 110 the plant identification number for a respective image evaluation area 44 of the respective field section using the corresponding image information by means of a control unit, in particular the agricultural spraying device 10, wherein the step of determining 110 the plant identification number includes a step of identifying 108 plant material and/or weeds 18 and/or crop plants 16 in order to determine the plant index. Finally, the method 100 includes a step of applying 112 either the first spray 26 by means of the first spray nozzle unit 28 or the second spray 32 by means of the second spray nozzle unit 34 to field sections of the agricultural area 14 depending on a plant identification number of an image evaluation area 44 of the respective field section.

If an embodiment includes an "and/or" link between a first feature and a second feature, this should be read in such a way that the embodiment according to one embodiment includes both the first feature and the second feature and according to a further embodiment either only that having the first feature or only the second feature.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• DE 102017210804 A1 [0006, 0040, 0059]

Claims (15)

Method (100) for applying two different sprays (26, 32) to an agricultural area (14) using an agricultural spraying device (10) which has a first spray circuit (20) with a first spray tank (24) and a first spray nozzle unit (28) and a second spray medium circuit (22) which is fluidically separate from the first and has a second spray medium tank (30) and a second spray nozzle unit (34), with the steps: - Providing (102) a first spray agent (26) in the first spray agent tank (24) of the first spray agent circuit (20) of the spraying device (10), wherein the first spray agent (26) comprises at least one plant protection agent (A, B) that is particularly effective on the soil and is to be applied over the entire surface. comprises or consists of; - Providing (104) a second spray agent (32) in the second spray agent tank (30) of the second spray agent circuit (34) of the spraying device (10), the second spray agent (32) being the same at least one plant protection agent (A, B) corresponding to the first spray agent (26) and further comprises or consists of at least one selective, in particular foliar-acting, and/or at least one non-selective, in particular foliar-acting herbicide (C-G); and - Application (112) of either the first spray agent (26) by means of the first spray nozzle unit (28) or the second spray agent (32) by means of the second spray nozzle unit (34) to field sections of the agricultural area (14) depending on a plant identification number of an image evaluation area (44 ) of the respective field section. Method (100) according to claim 1 , characterized by a step of detecting (106) the field sections of the agricultural area (14) by means of an optical detection unit (44) of the agricultural spraying device (10) in order to obtain image information for determining the plant identification number. Method (100) according to claim 1 or 2 , characterized by a step of determining (110) the plant identification number for a respective image evaluation area (44) of the respective field section using the corresponding image information by means of a control unit, in particular the agricultural spraying device (10), and/or a step of reading out and/or receiving the crop index for the field sections together with corresponding position information regarding the agricultural area (14). Method (100) according to claim 3 , characterized in that the step of determining (110) the plant identifier comprises a step of identifying (108) plant material and/or weeds (18) and/or crop plants (16) in order to determine the plant identifier. Method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plant index represents a degree of coverage of the defined image evaluation area (44) by plant material and/or a quantity of plant material in the defined image evaluation area (44). Method (100) according to claim 5 , characterized in that the image evaluation area (44) is a defined weed area (44) which is defined by the control unit using identified crop rows (46) in the respective field section. Method (100) according to claim 5 or 6 , characterized in that in the application step (112) - the first spray agent (26) is applied when the degree of coverage of the defined weed region (44) falls below a defined threshold value; and - the second spray (32) is applied when the defined threshold value for the degree of coverage of the defined weed area (44) is reached or exceeded. Method (100) according to any one of Claims 1 until 4 , characterized in that the plant index represents a number of identified weeds (18) and/or plants (18) identified as non-crop plants in the defined image evaluation area (44) of the respective field section. Method (100) according to claim 8 , characterized in that the image evaluation area (44) comprises essentially the entire respective detected field section. Method (100) according to claim 8 or 9 , characterized in that in the application step (112) - the first spray (26) is applied if no weeds (18) and/or only crops (16) are/are identified; and - the second spray (32) is applied when at least one weed (18) and/or at least one non-crop (18) is/are identified. Control unit that is set up to perform the following steps: - Receiving image information, which by means of an optical detection unit (44) of a country economically spray device (10) represent detected field sections of an agricultural area (14); - determining (110) a plant identification number for a respective image evaluation region (44) of the detected field sections using the image information; and - Outputting a control signal as a function of the determined plant identification number of the respective image evaluation area (44) of the respective field section o either to a first spray nozzle unit (28) of the agricultural spray device (10) in order to release a first spray agent (26) from a first spray agent tank (24) to be applied via a first spray circuit (20) of the agricultural spraying device (10) to the respective field section covered, the first spray (26) having or consisting of at least one plant protection product (A, B) that is to be applied over the entire surface, in particular that has an effect on the soil; o or to a second spray nozzle unit (34) of the agricultural spraying device (10) in order to spray a second spraying agent (32) from a second spraying agent tank (30) via a second spraying agent circuit (22), which is fluidically separate from the first, of the agricultural spraying device (10) onto the to apply the respective recorded field section, the second spraying agent (32) being the same at least one plant protection agent (A, B) that is to be applied over the entire area, in particular that acts on the soil, corresponding to the first spraying agent (26) and also at least one selective, in particular foliar-acting, and/or at least one non- has or consists of a selective, in particular foliar herbicide (CG). Agricultural spray device (10) for applying two different sprays (26, 32) to an agricultural area (14) with - a first spray circuit (20) having a first spray tank (24) and a first spray nozzle unit (28); - A fluidically separate from the first second spray medium circuit (22) having a second spray medium tank (30) and a second spray nozzle unit (34); - An optical detection unit (44) for detecting field sections of the agricultural area (14); and - a control unit claim 11 . Agricultural sprayer (10) after claim 12 , characterized in that in each case one spray nozzle (38, 40) of the two spray nozzle units (28, 34) forms a spray nozzle pair (42), the spray nozzles (38, 40) of a spray nozzle pair (42) being formed, the respective spray means (26, 32) on the same section of the field. Computer program designed to follow the steps of a control unit claim 11 to execute and/or control when the computer program is run on a computer. Machine-readable storage medium with the computer program stored on it Claim 14 .

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