On July 9th, a demonstration event was held as part of the Oper8 project, organized by the team from the University of Pisa (UNIPI), focusing on the use of the BAKUS robot by Vitibot for under-row weed control in vineyards.
The event took place at Le Mortelle, owned by the Antinori family, in Ampio, Castiglione della Pescaia (Grosseto).
This is a straddle robot capable of performing under-row weed control in vineyards using passive tools such as rollhacke, finger weeders, and discs, as well as electrically powered tools like blade weeders, ploughshares, and mowing discs. In addition to under-row weed control, the machine can also be equipped with tools for inter-row management. Furthermore, the robot is versatile and can also perform other tasks such as pruning and, soon, spraying.
During the event, Sofia Matilde Luglio, a UNIPI researcher, explained the importance of automation for vineyard weed control, providing a state-of-the-art overview of the available technologies. Next, Ezio Garezio, Key Account Sales Manager at SDF, presented the machine, discussing its history and technical features.
Finally, the farm’s robot operator shared his experience managing the machine in daily operations.
The event concluded with a field demonstration, where the machine was shown in action for under-row weed control in the vineyard.
