Green-on-green spot spraying in peanut crop
Weed management in peanut crops is challenging, especially with resistant Johnson Grass, which blends into the canopy and dense growth. Timely treatment of small weeds is essential to protect plant health. VUELAGRO, a startup led by Joaquin Longo and Santiago Mac Auliffe, manages over 50,000 hectares across Argentina, using multispectral drone imagery for precision agriculture applications. Focused on sustainable, tech-driven solutions, they digitize fields with resistant weed issues, enabling efficient control and maximizing machinery potential for contractors. Recently, VUELAGRO tackled Johnson Grass in peanut crops using RGB drones, RTK technology, and PIX4Dfields software. This streamlined approach enabled fast weed detection, created precise maps for targeted green-on-green spot spraying application, and reduced costs.
Project details
| Location | Cordoba, Argentina |
| User | Vuelagro |
| Project duration | 5 hours |
| Area surveyed | 1500 hectares |
| Software used | PIX4Dfields |
| Hardware used | DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise - RGB |
| Images captured | Total images: 20,000 RGB |
| Processing time | 10 minutes per 100 hectares (on average) |
| GSD | 2cm |
Magic Tool: automatic detection of Johnson Grass
This project aimed to optimize weed management for a 50-hectare peanut field in Córdoba, Argentina. Conducted in February, the project addressed challenges from resistant Johnson Grass, which persisted despite herbicide treatment. The team mapped the field with a drone and processed an RGB orthomosaic in just 5 minutes—thanks to PIX4Dfields’ fast and offline processing. The Magic Tool quickly detected and geolocated weeds, enabling targeted herbicide application and efficient grid cell adjustments for precise analysis.
Key steps included: AI training and detection:
- AI training and detection:
- 5 points with weeds and 5 crop cells were selected to train the AI tool for precise detection
- Operation Layer creation:
- The final Magic Tool detection layer was saved as an Operation layer to be used for targeted herbicide application in the field, allowing for quick prescription planning.
Thanks to the new Magic Tool version (designed to minimize user intervention), this workflow precisely identified Johnson grass, even in fully developed peanut crops.
Targeted herbicide application: 93% savings
After the weed detection, Operation layers were generated directly from the Magic Tool in PIX4Dfields, allowing quick and accurate configuration of herbicide doses and target areas.
By limiting applications exclusively to weed-affected zones, inputs were optimized, and environmental impact was reduced.
- Time and cost savings: with fast processing and the Magic Tool, weed identification and prescription creation in PIX4Dfields were completed in just a few minutes. With the targeted application 93% reduction in input usage (herbicide and water) was achieved.
- High detection accuracy: combining RTK drones with 2 cm/px orthomosaics captures even the smallest details
- Improved sustainability: avoiding widespread herbicide spraying reduces input usage and ecosystem impact.
- Easy integration: the Operation layer created with the Magic Tool is easily exported - no third-party software needed - for use in variable-rate spraying equipment (spray drones, tractors, field sprayers).
“With PIX4Dfields, we can swiftly detect weeds and generate accurate prescriptions. This provides our clients with efficient and sustainable control." - Vuelagro
The entire process, from flight to prescription preparation, took just 5 hours, showcasing the power of AI in modern agriculture. This scalable, efficient, and eco-friendly approach helps manage resistant weeds. PIX4Dfields enables farmers worldwide to optimize processes and use agrochemicals responsibly.
Have a similar project? With PIX4Dfields, crop management and weed detection have never been faster, more effective, or simpler.
