The use of artificial intelligence in tractor field operations: A review

Abstract

According to UN Food and Agriculture Organization [1], the population of the world will increase by 2 billion by 2050. However, only 4% additional land will come under cultivation by then. It could be inferred that, with the global population expected to reach 9.1 billion in 2050, 70 percent more food needs to be produced, otherwise about 370 million people would be in hunger in 2050. In this light, the use of latest technological solutions to make farming more efficient remains one of the greatest imperatives. While Artificial Intelligence (AI) sees a lot of direct application across sectors, it can also bring a paradigm shift in how we see farming today. AI-powered solutions will not only enable farmers to do more with less, it will also improve quality and ensure faster go-to-market for crops. This paper presents a review of the applications of AI in tractor field operations. The paper discusses elaborately, the use of robotics as a form of artificial intelligence which is very useful in tractor field operations such as tillage, weeding, seeding, herbicide spraying, and harvesting. A typical focus is laid on the strength and limitations of the applications and the way in utilizing expert systems for higher productivity.