Detection of weeds in seed production of forage grasses with detection dogs
Project overview
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Short summary
This project investigates whether trained detection dogs can be used as a new tool for identifying weeds at an early stage — even when they are small, growing in the seed rows, or difficult to distinguish from the crop.
In seed production fields of forage grasses used to produce seed mixtures for farmers, there should be no grass weeds such as black-grass (Alopecurusmyosuroides Huds), barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli), rat’s-tail fescue (Vulpia myuros), and soft brome (Bromus hordeaceus). These weeds can spread quickly and compete with the crop, leading to lower yields.
The fields are carefully monitored to ensure that farmers receive clean seed. In the initial fields with newly bred seed, weeds are even removed by hand to meet the requirement for clean seed.
Search Dogs as a New Method for Weed Detection
The project aims to develop new methods to detect and combat grass weeds in seed production fields of forage grasses such as perennial ryegrass (Loliumperenne), meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), red fescue (Festuca rubra), blue grass (Poa pratensis), cocksfoot (Dactylisglomerata), and timothy (Phleum pratense). Detection dogs trained to identify specific weed species will be tested for their ability to detect weed plants in the seed production fields.
Field study
The dogs are tested in controlled environments where they have been trained on identifying fresh weeds in different developmental stages. After the dogs have been approved, they participate in field research where their ability to find weeds are compared to human detectors. The results from the field research are documented with GPS and photographing and used to create digital maps over findings of weeds.
Project group:
Jörgen Holmén, project leader, Naturbruksskolan Sötåsen, Västra Götalandsregionen, Töreboda
Lena Lidfors, Professor of Ethology, Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, SLU.
Lena Engström, Researcher, Department of Soil and Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, SLU