YOLOv7-Based Intelligent Weed Detection and Laser Weeding System Research: Targeting Veronica didyma in Winter Rapeseed Fields

Liming Qin, Zheng Xu, Wenhao Wang and Xuefeng Wu ()
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Liming Qin: Research Institute of Motor and Intelligent Control Technology, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China
Zheng Xu: Research Institute of Motor and Intelligent Control Technology, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China
Wenhao Wang: School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin 150080, China
Xuefeng Wu: School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin 150080, China

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-14

Abstract: In recent years, rapeseed oil has received considerable attention in the agricultural sector, experiencing appreciable growth. However, weed-related challenges are hindering the expansion of rapeseed production. This paper outlines the development of an intelligent weed detection and laser weeding system—a non-chemical and precision agricultural protection method of weeding Veronica didyma in winter rapeseed fields in the Yangtze River Basin. A total of 234 Veronica didyma images were obtained to compile a database for a deep-learning model, and YOLOv7 was used as the detection model for training. The effectiveness of the model was demonstrated, with a final accuracy of 94.94%, a recall of 95.65%, and a mAP@0.5 of 0.972 obtained. Subsequently, parallel-axis binocular cameras were selected as the image acquisition platform, with binocular calibration and semi-global block matching used to locate Veronica didyma within a cultivation box, yielding a minimum confidence and camera height values of 70% and 30 cm, respectively. The intelligent weed detection and laser weeding system was then built, and the experimental results indicated that laser weeding was practicable with a 100 W power and an 80 mm/s scanning speed, resulting in visibly lost activity in Veronica didyma and no resprouting within 15 days of weeding. The successful execution of Veronica didyma detection and laser weeding provides a new reference for the precision agricultural protection of rapeseed in winter and holds promise for its practical application in agricultural settings.

Keywords: Veronica didyma detection; YOLOv7; weed location; laser weeding; precision agricultural protection (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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