Solinftec’s revolutionary robot, Solix bringing transformative changes to Crop Management solutions and cooperative business models by effectively eliminating weeds at an early stage in the American Corn Belt
Solinftec, a global leader in artificial intelligence and sustainable agricultural practices, has extended its capabilities by collaborating with three new partners to reduce herbicide applications by over 95% during the recent crop season, effectively eliminating weeds at an early stage.
Solix AG Robotics Sprayer Solution keeps the fields clean, free from invasive plants, and ensures sustainable production from pre-planting to harvest. The Solix Sprayer is capable of precise herbicide application, enabling efficient control of weeds, preventing their spread, and competition for nutrients with the target crop. The Sprayer model also has the advantage of avoiding drift during herbicide management because it is a lighter machine that operates at a lower speed, allowing for greater stability in the booms while maintaining the recommended 20 inch nozzle spacing.
In addition to the weather function, the Sprayer works in conjunction with the ALICE platform, which can provide appropriate wind speed recommendations and optimal windows for spraying crops. The Sprayer is powered by four solar panels that control its drive system and spraying system, providing reports on crop populations, weed identification and densities, insect identification, spraying maps with analysis of inputs, and other data layers for producer analysis 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Solix Sprayer can cover up to 50 acres per day, depending on the field’s shape and terrain.
Around 20 robots covered the American corn belt in 2023 and proved the effectiveness of the Sprayer solution, reducing herbicide volume in American crops by more than 95% through targeted applications that eliminate weeds at their early stages.
A new partnership was formed by Solixtec at the beginning of August 2023 with three more American cooperatives. Co-Alliance, Carroll FS, and Premier Ag acquired additional Solix units after testing the Sprayer solution and experiencing its benefits on their crops. Through these partnerships, Solinftec aims to expand its presence in the United States by fivefold.
“The three cooperatives are at the forefront of agricultural technology in the United States, and by adopting Solix, they realized the potential for changing the way they price services provided to American producers,” says Leonardo Carvalho, Chief Global Strategy Officer.
“In the traditional model, American cooperatives purchase agrochemicals directly from companies in the agricultural pesticides industry and offer spraying services along with the product that will be managed on the field,” explains Leonardo. “
“Solix robots create the possibility of a fair changing model for the service by not costing the volume of agrochemicals applied but on clean acres generated by a combination of factors including weed-free area, productivity per acre, and the possibility of establishing a fixed value since the choice of the product to be applied by the Solix platform lies with the Cooperative,” assures the director of strategy at Solinftec.
“Through these partnerships we aim to enable quick decision-making, delivering a significant reduction in agrochemicals, and providing sustainability to our customers’ businesses. Additionally, we offer a new way of managing the American corn belt,” added Guilherme Guiné, Chief of Operations of Solinftec in North America.
In addition to these three cooperatives, WHIN (Wabash Heartland Innovation Network) has also partnered with Solinftec and will continue to use the technology among its members in the next harvest.
