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wheenus t1_itltdde wrote

This is how technology should work! No harsh bs chemical just god Ole fashion LASER BEAMS

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Shufflepants t1_itngjon wrote

But we've only had to resort to this because the weeds are becoming resistant to the chemicals. This is just gonna cause the weeds to adapt to look more like wheat so they don't get lasered by the robot. Do you want rye? Because that's how you get rye.

(no joke, it's thought that due to early human farmers pulling weeds out of their crops of wheat and barley, rye evolved to look more like wheat and barley, and thus reducing its chance of being spotted and pulled. But eventually, it was so much like wheat and barley that it was a good enough crop to grow and harvest on its own)

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yoniyuri t1_itoxhx9 wrote

If the lasers were accurate enough, it would take a long time if ever. Evolution can only happen if there are survivors. No survivors have a less chance of beneficial mutation. Of course the weeds come from somewhere, so not zero chance.

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Shufflepants t1_itqaip2 wrote

It's not about the lasers being accurate, it's about the vision system used to recognize the weeds, and rye was close enough to wheat and barley to fool human eyes at least some of the time.

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Ag3ntM1ck t1_itpsny7 wrote

As a kid growing up, me and my family used to work for farmers up north pulling the weeds by hand. 13 cents an hour. Big money for a 9 year old in the 70's.

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wheenus t1_itptask wrote

Imagine if you were able to do that with LASERS!? It would be like a game for today's kids lol

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Ag3ntM1ck t1_itptnd3 wrote

Sheeeit. Wielding a laser and 13 cents an hour? I'd have been shitting in the tall corn.

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wheenus t1_itptsw3 wrote

Well we can bump that pay to about 17 cents, since ya know, inflation and all

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asdaaaaaaaa t1_itport8 wrote

> No harsh bs chemical

There's a lot of "harsh bs chemicals" that are specifically derived from plants themselves, and don't do much/any long term damage. The issue is plants become resistant towards herbicides, meaning you have to have multiple methods that you cycle throughout seasons. I see no reason why the plants wouldn't adapt to this either.

If this actually works (not just in testing), and is cheaper than chemicals, I can see it being popular.

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wheenus t1_itpoxww wrote

Well obviously plant based herbicides aren't bs, but how many large farms do you think uses those?

Edit: Why do people get into these confrontations than block you before anything happens, don't even know what was said here....

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asdaaaaaaaa t1_itpp7p1 wrote

>how many large farms do you think uses those?

Depends on the specific setup and weeds they're combating. They're actually quite popular for herbicides. Made up about half at every place I've worked in the past, but nowadays I can see them being used a lot more. That being said, simply being made/derived from plants doesn't make them safe for the environment though.

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parad0xchild t1_itq5cul wrote

The weeds would have to adapt to being burned alive. Maybe by building a more thicker and heat resistant "skin", but would have to do that without using all its energy to do so.

In a horrible future its an arm race of higher temp lasers against weeds, that results in scene of a burning field of crops, with robots tangled in weeds shooting erratically as the farmer hides in the cellar for their life. Skynet becomes self aware, and the only solution to weeding is to destroy humans who categorize things as weeds, but the AI has categorized humans as weeds. Global famine and war ravage the human race, all because we wanted to burn some weeds.

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