Enhancing Weed Management in South Florida: From Weed Identification to Precision Sprayer Adoption
Agronomy & Pest Management
Anna Meszaros
Extension Agent
UF/IFAS
West Palm Beach
Abstract
South Florida is a major producer of fresh vegetables supplying the East Coast of the United States from fall through the spring. Florida grows more than 15,000 acres of lettuce and cabbage and ranking third nationally in leafy vegetable production. Weed management in these systems relies on accurate weed identification, proper herbicides selection, and hand-weeding. However, increasing labor shortage and costs, combined with limited selective herbicide options, make management challenging. AI-assisted precision spray technologies offer targeted applications reducing chemical use, but these systems are expensive, making firsthand evaluations essential prior to adoption. The goals of this Extension program were to improve growers’ weed identification skills, increase knowledge of emerging precision spray technology, and enable participants to apply weed identification skills when evaluating herbicide efficacy across different application methods. Weed management workshops were conducted in 2023 and 2025 at the UF/IFAS Everglades REC. The 2023 workshop included indoor presentations and hands-on weed identification training. In 2025, an on-farm weed identification activity was added, along with an Ecorobotix precision sprayer equipped with weed recognition technology. This unique collaboration attracted over 50 people including growers, crop consultants, industry members, university faculty members, and students. A complementary trial compared untreated, hand-weeded, precision-sprayed, and conventional broadcast-treated lettuce plots, allowing growers to evaluate weed control method performance and herbicide efficacy. Two weeks later, participants returned to assess treatment differences. Qualtrics post-meeting surveys were used to evaluate the workshops. Participants reported knowledge gains in weed identification (45% in 2023 and 39% in 2025). In 2025, 75% of participants correctly identified all weeds during the outdoor activity using weed identification handouts developed by UF/IFAS weed scientist and ag Extension agents. According to participants, precision-sprayed plots maintained plant vigor comparable to hand-weeded plots while providing effective weed control, whereas broadcast pre-emergence treatment negatively impacted plant vigor. Attendees noted benefits including reduced chemical use, lower costs, good efficacy, multi-functionality, and expressed interest in adopting precision sprayers. This program successfully introduced precision spray technology to South Florida vegetable growers while strengthening weed identification skills and reinforcing UF/IFAS’s leadership in precision agriculture.
Authors: Anna Meszaros, Matthew VanWeelden, Calvin Odero
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Anna Meszaros Extension Agent, University of Florida / IFAS Extension, Florida, 33415
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Matthew VanWeelden Extension Agent, University of Florida / IFAS Extension, Florida, 33430
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Calvin Odero Associate Professor, Everglades Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Florida, 33430