Advancements and developments in the detection and control of invasive weeds: a global review of the current challenges and future opportunities

Abstract

Weed invasion has become increasingly recognised as a major threat to the practice of sustainable agriculture and the maintenance of natural ecosystems around the world. Without effective and ongoing management strategies, many weed species have the aggressive capacity to alter ecosystem functions and reduce the economic potential of the land in which they have been introduced. Although traditional weed management strategies can be useful in eliminating certain weeds, these approaches can be costly, economically damaging, laborious and result in variable long-term success. To further add to these challenges, several weed species have now developed resistance to a range of herbicide modes of action, which, to date, have been the major mechanism of weed control. As a result, it is anticipated that the use of emerging technology will help to provide a solution for the economical and environmentally sustainable management of various weeds. Of particular interest, emerging technology in the areas of weed detection and control (chemical, mechanical, electrical, laser and thermal), have all shown promising signs of improving long-term weed management strategies. These methods can also be assisted with, or integrated alongside, other technology such as artificial intelligence or computer vision techniques for improved efficiency. To provide an overview of this topic, this review evaluates a range of emerging technology used for the detection and control of various weeds and explores the challenges and opportunities of their application within the field.