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Abstract
Weeds compete with cultivated plants for nutrients and water in agricultural fields and orchards. Site-specific precision plant protection requires optimal plant-specific pesticide combinations and quantities. The first step in precision weed control is to map and detect weeds. Active and passive remote-sensing tools are available for weed detection. This article presents a study of precision weed detection using three-dimensional terrestrial laser scanning in an apple (Malus domestica) orchard. The laser scanner was able to identify two monocotyledonous (Digitaria sanguinalis, Echinochloa crus-galli) and two dicotyledonous (Galinsoga parviflora, Portulaca oleracea) weed species. In addition to weed identification, weed coverage was also determined using three algorithms. The results indicate that laser scanning has the potential for fast, accurate weed detection and could support the development of a plant-specific, selective, precision weed-control system that reduces water and pesticide use in orchards.