NOORDWIJKERHOUT, Netherlands — Theo works weekdays, weekends and nights and never complains about a sore spine despite performing hour upon hour of what, for a regular farm hand, would be backbreaking labor checking Dutch tulip fields for sick flowers.
The boxy robot — named after a retired employee at the WAM Pennings farm near the Dutch North Sea coast — is a new high-tech weapon in the battle to root out disease from the bulb fields as they erupt into a riot of springtime color.
On a windy spring morning, the robot trundled Tuesday along rows of yellow and red “goudstuk” tulips, checking each plant and, when necessary, killing diseased bulbs to prevent the spread of the tulip-breaking virus. The dead bulbs are removed from healthy ones in a sorting warehouse after they have been harvested.
The virus stunts growth and development of plants leading to smaller and weaker flowers. It also weakens the bulb itself, eventually leaving them unable to flower.
As part of efforts to tackle the virus, there are 45 robots patrolling tulip fields across the Netherlands as the weather warms up and farmers approach peak season when their bulbs bloom into giant patchworks of color that draws tourists from around the world.
In the past, this was work carried out by human “sickness spotters,” said Allan Visser, a third-generation tulip farmer who is using the robot for the second growing season.
“You could also buy a very nice sports car,” for the price of the robot, Visser said Tuesday — its makers say the robot costs 185,000 euros ($200,000).
“But I prefer to have the robot because a sports car doesn’t take out the sick tulips from our field. Yeah, it is expensive, but there are less and less people who can really see the sick tulips,” he added.
It’s a lot slower than a sports car, rolling on caterpillar tracks through fields at one kilometer per hour (0.6 mph) hunting out the telltale red stripes that form on the leaves of infected flowers.
“It has cameras in the front, and it makes thousands of pictures of the tulips. Then it will, determine if the tulip is sick or not by its AI model,” Visser explained, calling it “precision agriculture.”
“The robot has learned to recognize this and to treat it,” he added.
Erik de Jong of H2L Robotics, the company that makes the robots, says artificial intelligence helps them identify sick flowers and very precise GPS coordinates allows them to pinpoint the flowers that need to be destroyed.
“The heart of the machine is the knowledge that we put into the AI model. The knowledge comes from tulip farmers. So we we use the knowledge of the tulip farmers, we combine it into an AI model,” he said.
Theo van der Voort, who gave his name to the robot at WAM Pennings farm, and who retired after 52 years hunting for sick flowers, is impressed.
“It’s fantastic,” he said. “It sees just as much as I see.”
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In the picturesque Dutch countryside, where vibrant tulip fields stretch as far as the eye can see, a new technology is being deployed to protect these iconic flowers from disease. An AI robot has been developed to detect sick tulips and prevent the spread of disease in the bulb fields, a crucial step in preserving the health and beauty of this beloved symbol of the Netherlands.
Tulips are not only a source of national pride for the Dutch, but also a major economic driver. The Netherlands is the world’s largest producer and exporter of tulip bulbs, with millions of bulbs being shipped around the globe each year. However, like any agricultural crop, tulips are susceptible to diseases that can devastate entire fields if left unchecked.
One of the most common diseases that affect tulips is tulip breaking virus, which causes the flowers to develop streaks of color or break into different patterns. Once a field is infected, the virus can quickly spread to neighboring plants, leading to significant losses for farmers.
To combat this threat, researchers at Wageningen University & Research have developed an AI robot that uses computer vision technology to scan tulip fields and identify plants that show symptoms of disease. Equipped with a high-resolution camera and sophisticated algorithms, the robot can detect subtle changes in the color and texture of tulip leaves that indicate the presence of disease.
Once a sick plant is identified, the robot can take immediate action to prevent the spread of disease. It can either mark the plant for removal by human workers or apply targeted treatments to stop the virus from spreading further. By quickly isolating infected plants, the robot helps to contain the disease and protect the rest of the field from contamination.
The use of AI technology in agriculture is not new, but its application in tulip fields represents a significant advancement in disease detection and prevention. Traditional methods of monitoring plant health often rely on visual inspections by human workers, which can be time-consuming and prone to errors. The AI robot offers a more efficient and accurate alternative, allowing farmers to proactively manage disease outbreaks and protect their crops.
In addition to its practical benefits, the AI robot also has environmental advantages. By targeting only infected plants for treatment, farmers can reduce the use of chemical pesticides and minimize their impact on the surrounding ecosystem. This sustainable approach to disease management aligns with the growing demand for environmentally friendly farming practices.
As the AI robot continues to be tested and refined in Dutch tulip fields, its potential applications in other crops and regions are being explored. By harnessing the power of technology to safeguard plant health, farmers can ensure the longevity of their crops and protect the beauty of their fields for generations to come. The AI robot detecting sick tulips is not just a tool for disease prevention, but a symbol of innovation and progress in agriculture.
