EP3897126A1

EP3897126A1 - Control of plants

Info

Publication number: EP3897126A1
Application number: EP19829469.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michael Kilian
Original assignee: Bayer AG
Current assignee: Bayer AG
Priority date: 2018-12-19
Filing date: 2019-12-13
Publication date: 2021-10-27
Also published as: US20220053752A1; AU2019409106A1; CA3124162A1; WO2020126896A1

Abstract

The invention relates to the control of plants (20) by means of electrical energy (13) and the mechanical removal (14) of parts of the plants. The invention relates to a method and a device for the control of undesired plants by electrical and mechanical means.

Description

Fighting plants

The present invention is concerned with the control of plants by means of electrical energy and the subsequent mechanical removal of constituents of the plants. The present invention relates to a method and a device for controlling unwanted plants using electrical and mechanical means.

There are a variety of situations in which plants or plant components have to be removed.

For example, the control of plants on track systems is absolutely necessary for safety reasons. In particular, the ballast bed must be cleared of vegetation and / or kept free. The ballast bed is usually flexible and helps to transfer both static and dynamic loads evenly to the substructure. The countless cavities between the individual stones cushion the enormous weight of moving trains and the bumps like a buffer.

When cultivating crops in a field, undesirable accompanying plants usually appear, which compete with crops for resources, hinder or complicate the implementation of agricultural measures, impair the quality of the harvest or in any other way adversely affect the cultivation of crops. To increase the quality and quantity of crop yields, these companion plants should therefore be controlled early.

Plants can sprout in the joints of sidewalks, roadsides, gutters, parking areas, squares and the like. The roots can damage the structures. In addition, paving stones that are pushed up by roots pose a safety risk due to the risk of stumbling. Again, it is advisable to control the plants.

A number of measures are available for controlling plants, for example the application of a herbicide, mechanical removal or control using electrical energy.

There may be areas in which application of herbicides is not desired or - for example due to resistance - does not lead to the desired success.

Mechanical removal is comparatively tedious and / or costly, since the plant and the root system usually have to be removed in order to prevent them from growing again.

When controlling undesirable plants using electrical energy, the respective plant is brought into contact with a first electrode (also referred to in this description as a contact electrode). A second electrode (also referred to as a collecting electrode in this description) is usually in contact with the soil in which the plant grows. A voltage is applied between the electrodes. When the plant comes into contact with the first electrode, an electrical current flows from the first electrode through at least part of the plant and the soil to the second electrode. The roots are also through the electrical current detected. This electric shock will weaken or kill the plant.

When controlling plants with electrical energy, the destroyed plants usually remain in or on the ground, where they gradually rot or are removed by erosion. However, plants or plant remains remaining in or on the ground are often not only undesirable for aesthetic reasons. In a field where crops are grown, the rotting parts of the plant can be a source of infestation with pests such as fungi. People can slip on the plants or plant remains on sidewalks or squares. Furthermore, the remaining organic material (for example as a germ bed) can promote the sprouting of other plants.

There is therefore a need for a solution for controlling and eliminating unwanted plants which on the one hand prevents the plants from being driven out again and on the other hand removes residues of dead plants.

This object is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments can be found in the dependent claims and in the present description.

A first object of the invention is a device comprising a collecting electrode, the collecting electrode being designed in such a way that it can be brought into contact with the ground,

A contact electrode, the contact electrode being designed such that it can be brought to a defined height above the floor, the contact electrode being attached to the device in a front region of the device,

· A voltage source for applying a voltage between the contact electrode and the

Collecting electrode and

A removal tool, which is located behind the contact electrode,

the device being designed so that it can be moved over the ground and the contact electrode comes into contact with plants growing in the ground during such movement, an electrical current being generated between the contact electrode and the collecting electrode in such a contact flows through components of the plants, and the components of the plants located above the ground are removed following the current flow through the removal tool.

Another object of the present invention is a method comprising the steps - providing a device

A collecting electrode, the collecting electrode being designed such that it is in contact with a floor,

A contact electrode, the contact electrode being designed so that it is at a defined height above the ground,

· A voltage source with which a voltage between the contact electrode and the

Collective electrode is applied, and

A disposal tool, Moving the device across the ground in the direction of an undesirable plant, the contact electrode being in front of the removal tool in the direction of movement, and

Bringing the undesired plant in the soil into contact with the contact electrode, an electrical current flowing through the plant between the contact electrode and the collecting electrode,

• after the flow of electricity: remove components of the plant that are located above the ground with the removal tool.

The invention is explained in more detail below without distinguishing between the subject matter of the invention (device, method). Rather, the following explanations are intended to apply analogously to all objects of the invention, regardless of the context in which they are used (device, method).

If steps are listed in an order in the present description or in the patent claims, this does not necessarily mean that the invention is limited to the named order. Rather, it is conceivable that the steps can also be carried out in a different order or in parallel to one another; unless a step builds on another step, which makes it imperative that the building step be carried out subsequently (which is clear in individual cases). The sequences mentioned thus represent preferred embodiments of the invention.

The present invention is used to control undesirable plants. Undesirable plants can be, for example, weeds / grasses in a field of crop plants, plants in ballast beds of track systems, plants on sidewalks or driveways or on the edge of roads, plants on non-cultivated land such as on industrial sites or the like.

The term “control” is understood to mean preventing the spread or reduction of the amount of unwanted plants present.

The first step is to combat it using electrical energy that is introduced into the plant. The energy is introduced with the aid of at least two electrodes, between which there is an electrical voltage: with at least one contact electrode and at least one collector electrode. The aim is to weaken or destroy the undesired plant by flowing an electrical current between the at least two electrodes, which flows through at least part of the plant and thereby detects the roots of the plant in order to prevent it from emerging again.

The contact electrode can be designed as a cantilever, mesh, grid, tape, brush, lance or the like. Several contact electrodes can also be present.

The collecting electrode can be designed as a cantilever, net, grid, tape, brush, wheel, plow, lance or the like. Several collecting electrodes can also be present.

The voltage between the at least two electrodes is generated via a voltage source. The voltage source can be, for example, a generator or an accumulator. It is also conceivable that the device according to the invention has several voltage sources. The voltage between the contact electrode and the collecting electrode can be a direct voltage or an alternating voltage. It is preferably an AC voltage. It can be a sinusoidal AC voltage, a sawtooth voltage, a square wave voltage or some other form. Details of the configuration of the electrodes and the voltage source can be found in the prior art (see, for example, US2484443A, US2591597A, US2682729A, US4047326A, US4428150A, WO2016016627A1, WO201662667A1, W02018050137A1, W02018050131A1502201501502502A1502502A1).

To control a plant with electrical energy, the plant is brought into contact with the contact electrode. Typically, the contact electrode is moved horizontally across a floor in which the unwanted plant is present (or multiple unwanted plants are present).

The term “soil” is understood to mean an area of the earth's surface in which plants grow. The soil is preferably the soil, whereby track systems, streets, walkways, squares and other areas in which plants can occur should also fall under the term soil.

When controlling the plant, the contact electrode is usually at a defined height above the ground in which the plant grows. The height above the ground is usually selected such that the contact electrode comes into contact with an upper part of the undesired plant when moving horizontally above the ground. The upper part can be the upper half or the upper third or another fraction of the plant. It is also conceivable that the contact electrode touches a middle part or a lower part of the plant. It is also conceivable that the contact electrode touches the floor (in such a case the defined height above the floor is zero).

The height of the contact electrode is preferably adjustable. A distance sensor is preferably present or there are several distance sensors with which the distance of the contact electrode from the floor can be determined.

The term “distance of the contact electrode to the floor” is preferably understood to mean the vertical distance of the contact electrode from the floor. It is preferably the shortest distance between the bottom and an outer end of the contact electrode that is closest to the bottom. If you drop a solder from the outer end of the contact electrode that is closest to the floor to the floor, the “distance of the contact electrode to the floor” preferably corresponds to the length of this solder.

A control unit is preferably provided, with which a defined distance between the contact electrode and the base can be set and / or kept automatically. The defined distance can be a minimum distance from the ground; it can also be a maximum distance from the ground.

Distance sensors are commercially available in a variety of forms and are based on different measuring principles such as radar (W. Paul, H. Speckmann: Radar sensors - new Technologies for precise inventory management, agricultural engineering 59, 2/2004, pages 92 to 93.), laser light (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265943938) or ultrasound (D. Nieberg et al .: Multireflex ultrasound sensor system for field phenotyping of cereals, https: //www.hs- osnabrueck.de/fileadmin/HSOS/Homepages/COALA/Veroeffständigungen/2014-VDI-Tagung- Multireflex-Ultrasound-Sensorsystem_zur_Feld-Phaenotypisierung_von_Getreide_.pdf).

The defined distance can also depend on the height of the plants to be controlled. At least one plant sensor is preferably present, with which the height of the plants to be controlled can be determined. The aim may be to bring the contact electrode into contact with a plant in the region of the upper third or in the region of the upper half of the plant or in contact with another fraction of the plant when the device according to the invention is moved. It is conceivable, for example, that the device according to the invention has one or more cameras with which it is determined at which height the plants end (stature height). The height of plants can also be determined with one or more distance sensors: if you measure the horizontal distance between a distance sensor and a plant and move the distance sensor horizontally, the horizontal distance increases suddenly when the top of the plant is reached (to to infinity if there is no other object behind the plant); the height of the distance sensor above the ground when the horizontal distance to the plant suddenly increases corresponds to the plant's height.

The collecting electrode is usually attached so that it touches the ground. It is therefore preferably designed as a sliding contact, a plow or a wheel that continuously touches the ground when the device is moved. However, it is also conceivable that the collecting electrode only touches the ground temporarily, for example when the contact electrode is in contact with an undesired plant.

The device according to the invention can have one or more contact sensors which detect whether the contact electrode is in contact with a plant. With such a contact, the collecting electrode can be brought into contact with the ground. Such a contact sensor can be, for example, a microswitch, a strain gauge, or a piezoelectric sensor. It is also conceivable to use a photodiode on which less (daylight) light falls when it comes into contact with a plant.

It is also conceivable that a voltage is only applied between the contact electrode and the collecting electrode when the contact electrode comes into contact with a plant. It is also conceivable that there are a plurality of contact electrodes which are arranged, for example, next to one another (such an arrangement preferably extending perpendicular to the direction of movement and horizontally to the ground), only those contact electrodes which are in contact with a plant being live.

The collecting electrode is usually at a constant distance from the contact electrode; however, it is also conceivable that the distance to the contact electrode can be varied.

The term “distance between the collecting electrode and the contact electrode” is preferably understood to mean the horizontal distance. It is preferably the shortest Distance between the collecting electrode and the contact electrode, the distance between those areas of the collecting electrode and the contact electrode which are closest to one another being determined. The distance between the collecting electrode and the contact electrode is a parameter that influences the depth of penetration of the electrical current into the ground. In simple terms, the greater the distance between the collecting electrode and the contact electrode, the greater the depth of penetration. The greater the depth of penetration, the deeper the roots of the plant are captured by the current flow. On the other hand, the electrical resistance between the contact electrode and the collecting electrode and thus the amount of energy to be applied increase with increasing distance. Empirical series of experiments can be used to determine optimal distances for various plants, plant sizes, soil types and soil moisture levels for effective plant control with minimal energy consumption.

After the first step of controlling an unwanted plant with electrical energy, the second step is to remove constituents of the controlled plant. The first and second steps can also take place in parallel. Removal is usually limited to parts of plants above the ground. Usually it is the components of a plant above the ground that can cause a problem. The roots are destroyed by the control with electrical energy, so that the plant is not sprouted again. The roots can therefore remain in the soil and only the plant components above the soil are removed. Since it is not necessary to remove the entire plant including the roots, the mechanical removal in the second step is comparatively low compared to the complete removal. The combination of electrical control and mechanical removal of the plant parts above the ground is a more effective, faster and cheaper method compared to the individual measures or the mechanical removal of the plant including the roots.

The parts of the plants above the ground are removed with a removal tool. The plant parts above the ground can, for example, be cut off, torn off, kinked, or otherwise separated from the root system. The removal tool can accordingly be designed as a cutting tool, sawing tool, abrasion tool, tear tool and / or the like. The

Removal tool can be designed like a tool described in the prior art (see e.g. DE4135414A1, DE20309769U1, GB2461536A, US2015201607A, US5842331A, DE19840424A1, DE10055473A1). A combination of different tools or the use of a plurality of removal tools is also conceivable.

In a preferred embodiment, the removal tool is designed as a rotating wire brush, as is described, for example, in US5842331A, WO2018 / 226768, DE102017110776A1, DE102012002894A1 or in US2015201607A. The rotating brush can rotate about an axis that is horizontal, that is, parallel to the floor. It is also conceivable to use a rotating brush that rotates around an axis that runs vertically (perpendicular to the floor). It is also conceivable that a pair of vertical rotating brushes with opposite directions of rotation is present. It is conceivable that there are several brushes or pairs of brushes.

In an alternative embodiment, the removal tool is designed as a cutting tool. The cutting tool can be designed in the form of one or more horizontally or vertically rotating blades (see, for example, CN108738675A, US2018338426A,

US2018184587A). The cutting tool can also be designed as a horizontally extending blade or an arrangement of blades that extend forward in the direction of movement (see, for example, CN108907914A, CN108575271A, CN108012656A, US2018168101A, US2017049051A).

The removal tool can be arranged behind the contact electrode in the direction of movement of the device according to the invention, so that when the device is moved in the direction of an undesired plant, the undesired plant comes into contact with the contact electrode in a first step and the undesired plant with the removal tool in a second step comes into contact. Contact with the contact electrode leads to weakening or destruction of the plant, which also affects the root system. The disposal tool separates plant components above the ground from plant components in the ground.

It is conceivable that the removal tool also functions as a contact electrode, so that the control with electrical energy and the mechanical removal of plant components take place simultaneously in one step. For example, it is conceivable for a rotating wire brush to be used both as a contact electrode and as a removal tool. An electrical voltage is applied between the rotating wire brush and one or more collecting electrodes. If the plant comes into contact with the rotating wire brush, a current flows through the brush ends through the plant. At the same time, the plant can be pinched between the brush ends or impaled by the brush ends and torn apart by the rotational movement or torn from the ground.

The removal tool functioning as a contact electrode can also be designed as a blade. An electrical voltage is applied between the blade and one or more collecting electrodes. When the blade comes into contact with a plant, an electric current flows through the blade through the plant. At the same time, the plant is cut with the blade.

Other options for combining the removal tool and the contact electrode are conceivable.

Furthermore, it is possible for the removal tool to function simultaneously as a collecting electrode. For example, the collecting electrode / removal tool can be designed as a rotating wire brush that is in contact with the ground. The contact electrode can be located in front of the rotating wire brush in the direction of movement. There is an electrical voltage between the contact electrode and the rotating wire brush. If the device according to the invention approaches a plant, the plant first comes into contact with the contact electrode. An electrical current flows between the wire brush and the contact electrode, which detects components of the plant. If the device moves further in the direction of movement, the plant is gripped and torn by the rotating wire brush. In a preferred embodiment, the removal tool is designed to be height-adjustable. There is preferably at least one distance sensor with which the distance of the removal tool from the floor can be determined.

The term “distance of the removal tool to the floor” is preferably understood to mean the vertical distance. It is preferably the shortest distance between the floor and an outer end of the removal tool that is closest to the floor. If you drop a solder from the outer end of the removal tool that is closest to the floor to the floor, the “distance of the removal tool to the floor” preferably corresponds to the length of this solder.

A control unit is preferably provided, with which a defined distance between the removal tool and the floor can be set and / or kept automatically. The defined distance can be a minimum distance from the ground; it can also be a maximum distance from the ground.

In a preferred embodiment, a collection container for the separated plant components is located behind the removal tool in the direction of movement of the device according to the invention. In a preferred embodiment, the plant components are automatically separated and automatically conveyed into the collecting container.

It is conceivable that the plant components are separated in a first step and fall to the ground in the process; in a second step, they can be picked up by a sweeping tool and transported to a collecting container. However, it is also conceivable that the plant constituents are separated off by a removal tool and conveyed directly into a collecting container by the removal tool or another tool such as, for example, a blower or a suction device. The device according to the invention can be designed as a vehicle or can be designed to be connectable to a vehicle. Such a vehicle can be an agricultural machine (e.g. a tractor), a road vehicle (e.g. a Unimog), a rail vehicle or the like. The device according to the invention can also be designed as a manned or unmanned aircraft (drone). The device according to the invention can also be designed as a robot that moves autonomously on the ground in which undesired plants grow.

The device according to the invention can be designed such that it moves autonomously or controlled by a person over a field, on a vineyard, over a square, along a street, over a track system, along rails or the like and combats undesirable plants.

The device according to the invention can be equipped with means for detecting unwanted plants. For example, there may be one or more cameras that generate digital images of the surroundings of the device according to the invention. The digital images can be analyzed to determine whether there are any unwanted plants. In the event that undesired plants are present, parameters of the device according to the invention can be adapted to the identified plants, for example: applying a voltage between at least one (defined) contact electrode and at least one (defined) collecting electrode, level of voltage, with alternating voltage frequency of alternating voltage and / or form of alternating voltage, distance of the contact electrode to the floor, distance of the removal tool to the floor, speed of movement of the device above the floor and the like. These adjustments can be made by one or more control units of the device according to the invention. The means for recognizing undesirable plants can be designed in such a way that they recognize plants or even recognize individual plant species. Such agents are described in the prior art (see, for example: WO2018141995A1, WO2018154490A1).

It is conceivable that the device according to the invention is a portable device that can be attached to a vehicle or aircraft. It is also conceivable that the device consists of several components (elements) which are individually attached to a vehicle or aircraft in order to practice the invention. Individual elements can be: a voltage source or a plurality of voltage sources, a contact electrode or a plurality of contact electrodes (e.g. an arrangement of contact electrodes), a collecting electrode or a plurality of collecting electrodes (e.g. an arrangement of collecting electrodes), a removal tool or a plurality of removal tools (e.g. (e.g. an arrangement of

Disposal tools), a collecting container or a plurality of collecting containers (e.g. an arrangement of collecting containers), a sensor or several sensors and a control unit or a plurality of control units. Further embodiments of the present invention are:

1. comprising a device

A collecting electrode, the collecting electrode being designed such that it is in contact with a floor or can be brought into contact with the floor,

A contact electrode, the contact electrode being designed such that it is at a defined height above the floor or can be brought to a defined height above the floor,

A voltage source for applying a voltage between the contact electrode and the collecting electrode, and

A disposal tool,

• The device is designed so that it can be moved across the floor in the direction of an undesirable plant, wherein

o the plant comes into contact with the contact electrode during movement, o is weakened or destroyed by an electrical current between the contact electrode and the collecting electrode, and

o Components of the weakened or destroyed plant located above the ground are removed by the removal tool;

2. A device according to embodiment 1, wherein the removal tool also functions as a contact electrode.

3. a device according to embodiment 1, wherein the contact electrode is attached to the device in a front region which is located when the device moves in one direction of movement, • The removal tool is attached to the device in a rear area, which is located behind the contact electrode when the device is moved in the direction of movement. 4. A device according to one of the embodiments 1 to 3, wherein the removal tool and / or the contact electrode are / is designed as a rotating wire brush.

5. A device according to one of the embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the removal tool and / or the contact electrode are / is designed as a blade or an arrangement of blades.

6. A device according to one of the embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the collecting electrode is designed as a sliding contact, plow or wheel.

7. A device according to one of the embodiments 1, 3, 4 or 5, the removal tool simultaneously functioning as a collecting electrode.

8. A device according to one of the embodiments 1 to 7, wherein the collecting electrode and / or the removal tool are / is designed as a rotating wire brush.

9. A device according to one of the embodiments 1 to 8, comprising one or more

Distance sensors to determine the distance

• the contact electrode from the floor,

• the removal tool from the ground,

• the collecting electrode from the floor, and / or

· The contact electrode from the collecting electrode.

10. A device according to one of the embodiments 1 to 9, comprising one or more plant sensors for determining the height of the plants and / or one or more contact sensors for determining a contact of the contact electrode with a plant.

11. A device according to one of the embodiments 1 to 10, comprising a control unit that is configured to set the distance between the contact electrode and the bottom, the distance between the removal tool and the bottom, and / or the distance between the collecting electrode and the contact electrode set a defined value and / or keep it at a defined value.

12. A device according to one of the embodiments 1 to 11, comprising a collecting container for holding separated plant components.

13. A method comprising the steps

- Providing a device comprising

A voltage source with which a voltage is applied between the contact electrode and the collecting electrode, and

A disposal tool,

Moving the device across the ground towards an undesirable plant, and thereby: Bringing the undesired plant in the ground into contact with the contact electrode, an electrical current flowing through the plant between the contact electrode and the collecting electrode, the electrical current weakening or destroying the plant,

• Remove components of the weakened or destroyed plant above the ground using the removal tool.

14. A method according to embodiment 13, comprising the steps

Providing a device comprising

A contact electrode, the contact electrode being designed such that it is at a defined height above the ground, and the contact electrode being attached to the device in a front region which is located when the device is moved in one direction of movement,

A removal tool, the removal tool being attached to the device in a rear region which is located behind the contact electrode when the device is moved in the direction of movement,

Moving the device in the direction of movement and thereby:

Bringing an undesirable plant in the ground into contact with the contact electrode, an electrical current flowing between the contact electrode and the collecting electrode through the plant, the electrical current weakening or destroying the plant,

• Subsequent removal of components of the weakened or destroyed plant above the ground using the removal tool.

15. A method according to embodiment 13, wherein the removal tool is simultaneously used as

Contact electrode acts or the removal tool also acts as a collecting electrode.

The invention is described in more detail below with reference to figures, without wishing to restrict the invention to the features and combinations of features shown in the figures.

Figure 1 shows schematically an embodiment of the device according to the invention. The device is designed as a vehicle (10). The vehicle (10) moves in the direction of movement (R) towards a plant (20) growing in the soil (30). In the front area of the vehicle (10), a contact electrode (11) is attached at a defined vertical distance A above the floor (30). A collecting electrode (12) is in contact with the bottom (30). A voltage source (13) can be used to apply an electrical voltage between the contact electrode (11) and the collecting electrode (12). If the vehicle (10) moves in the direction of movement (R) towards the plant (20), the contact electrode touches the plant (20). If, at this moment of contact, a voltage rises between the contact electrode (11) and the collecting electrode (12), an electrical current flows between the contact electrode (11) and the collecting electrode (12), which through plant parts (21) above the ground (30 ), through plant parts (22) in the soil (30) and through parts of the soil (30) flows. The plant (20) is weakened or destroyed by the current. A removal tool (14) is located behind the contact electrode (11) in the direction of movement (R) of the vehicle. If the vehicle continues to move in the direction of movement (R), the plant (20) comes into contact with the removal tool (14). The plant parts (21) above the soil (30) are removed by the removal tool (14). The plant parts (22) in the soil (30) can remain in the soil (30). Figure 2 shows schematically a further embodiment of the device according to the invention. The device is designed as a vehicle (10). The vehicle (10) moves in the direction of movement (R) towards a plant (20) growing in the soil (30). A contact electrode (11) is attached to the front of the vehicle (10) and has a defined vertical distance A from the floor. A rotating wire brush is attached to the rear of the vehicle (10) and functions simultaneously as a collecting electrode (12) and as a removal tool (14). The rotating wire brush is in contact with the floor (30). An electrical voltage is applied between the contact electrode (11) and the wire brush via a voltage source (13). If the vehicle (10) moves in the direction of movement (R) towards the plant (20), the plant (20) comes into contact with the contact electrode (11). Upon contact, an electrical current flows between the contact electrode (11) and the wire brush, which flows through plant components (21) above the ground (30), through plant components (22) in the ground (30) and through part of the ground (30). If the device moves further in the direction of movement (R), the plant (20) comes into contact with the rotating wire brush, is gripped and torn by it.

Claims

1. Device comprising

A collecting electrode, the collecting electrode being designed such that it can be brought into contact with the ground,

A voltage source for applying a voltage between the contact electrode and the collecting electrode and

A removal tool, which is located behind the contact electrode,

the device being designed so that it can be moved over the ground and the contact electrode comes into contact with plants which grow in the ground during such movement, with such a contact an electrical current between the contact electrode and the collecting electrode flows through components of the plants, and the components of the plants located above the ground are removed following the current flow through the removal tool.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the removal tool is a cutting tool that is oriented to separate plant components above the ground from plant components in the ground.

3. Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the removal tool is designed as a blade or arrangement of blades.

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the removal tool functions as the collecting electrode at the same time.

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the collecting electrode as a sliding contact,

Plow or wheel is running.

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the removal tool is designed as a rotating wire brush.

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a collecting container for receiving separated plant components.

8. The device according to claim 7, further comprising means for conveying separated plant components into the collecting container.

9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, comprising one or more distance sensors for determination

The vertical distance of the contact electrode from the ground,

The vertical distance of the removal tool from the ground,

• the vertical distance of the collecting electrode from the floor and / or

• the horizontal distance between the contact electrode and the collecting electrode.

10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, comprising one or more plant sensors for determining the height of the plants and / or one or more contact sensors for determining a contact of the contact electrode with a plant.

11. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising a control unit configured to the vertical distance between the contact electrode and the bottom, the vertical distance between the removal tool and the bottom, the vertical distance of the collecting electrode from the bottom and / or to set the horizontal distance between the collecting electrode and the contact electrode to a defined value and / or to keep it at a defined value during a movement of the device above the floor.

12. Procedure comprising the steps

Providing a device comprising

A disposal tool,

Moving the device across the ground in the direction of an undesirable plant, with the contact electrode in the direction of movement in front of the removal tool, and thereby:

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of removing components of the plant which are located above the ground with the removal tool comprises the following substeps:

- Separate the components of the plant that are above the ground from

Components of the plant that are in the soil,

- Transporting the separated components into a collecting container.

14. The method according to any one of claims 12 or 13, wherein the removal tool simultaneously functions as the collecting electrode.

15. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, further comprising the steps:

Identify an unwanted plant prior to the step moving the device across the ground towards the unwanted plant and / or

- Determine the height of the unwanted plant and

• Setting a defined vertical distance from the contact electrode to the floor and / or

• Setting a defined vertical distance of the removal tool to the floor and / or • Setting a defined horizontal distance between the contact electrode and the collecting electrode and / or

• Setting the level of the voltage between the contact electrode and the collecting electrode and / or

· Setting the frequency of an alternating voltage between the contact electrode and the collecting electrode

• Setting the speed of the device above the ground

depending on the determined height of growth and / or depending on the identified plant and / or

- Determine a contact of the contact electrode with the undesired plant and applying the voltage between the contact electrode and the collecting electrode when the contact electrode contacts the undesired plant.