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Rutgers Today Media Contact – October 20, 2025 – Kitta MacPherson
kitta.macpherson@rutgers.edu
Imagine a tractor-size machine that can tell the difference between a vegetable and a weed – and
then zaps the unwelcome plant with a laser. It’s not science fiction. It’s being tested in New Jersey by
Rutgers University scientist Thierry Besançon.
He is studying a new method to control weeds that is extremely precise and avoids the use of herbicides.
An associate professor with the Department of Plant Biology in the School of Environmental
and Biological Sciences, Besançon recently collaborated on field trials of the high-tech device that
uses artificial intelligence and lasers to kill weeds without using chemicals. “It’s pure physics,” he
said. “There’s no herbicide involved. It’s just light energy targeting the weeds.”
Results of the field tests, conducted as the first peer-reviewed study of artificial intelligence-guided
laser weeding on the East Coast, were published in the research journal Pest Management Science.
Early results are promising: The machine at the heart of the technology performed as well as
conventional herbicides in controlling weeds and, in some cases, helped crops grow even better,
said Besançon.
The laser weeder’s promise is especially relevant in New Jersey, where small farms and specialty
crops such as spinach, greens and herbs dominate. Many of these crops have few or no approved
herbicides, leaving growers with limited options.
The experiments used a demonstration unit from Carbon Robotics, a Seattle company pioneering the
technology. The machine employs high-resolution cameras and deep learning algorithms to distinguish
crops from weeds in real time, then obliterates the unwanted plants with pinpoint laser beams.
The trials were conducted in the spring and summer of 2024 in partnership with Lynn Sosnoskie, an
assistant professor with the School of Integrative Plant Science at Cornell University. In New Jersey,
research took place at the Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Upper Deerfield
near Bridgeton, N.J., a key site for vegetable crop studies in the state. Researchers tested the laser
weeder on spinach, peas and beet crops.
The significance of the trials hasn’t gone unnoticed. In an editorial published in the Journal Pest
Management Science, Stephen O. Duke, a veteran weed scientist at the University of Mississippi,
called the research “potentially transformative” and compared it to one of the most important
agricultural innovations of the past half-century.
“Not since glyphosate-resistant crops were introduced have I been as impressed with a new
technology,” wrote Duke, referring to products such as Roundup-ready soybeans. The variety is
genetically engineered so it’s not affected by the commonly used herbicide, Roundup.
He praised the Rutgers-Cornell study for providing “convincing evidence that the technology of
artificial intelligence-guided lasers may soon revolutionize weed control in the developed world.”
Although operated by a trained technician and not fully autonomous, the machine is a crack shot.
“We had weeds growing just half a centimeter from the crop seedlings,” Besançon said. “And there
was no laser damage to the crops. It’s extremely precise.”
One New Jersey grower who produces parsley, cilantro and dill mentioned interest in purchasing a
commercial laser weeder, based on the Rutgers field trials. “He told me, ‘I don’t have any other
options,’” Besançon said. “There’s no chemical solution for these crops, so this is his best choice.”
Challenges remain. The machine is expensive, with prices starting around $500,000. The approach
works best on short season crops and requires multiple passes during the growing season, especially
in the wetter East Coast climate where weeds emerge more frequently. It also works best when
weeds are small, so farmers need to monitor their fields closely and act quickly. “You can’t wait too
long,” Besançon said. “If the weeds get too big, the laser needs more energy and slows down.”
Despite these limitations, Besançon said the technology will improve. “They’re already working on
faster, more efficient versions,” he said. “Eventually, you might be able to drive the machine at five
miles per hour instead of one or two.”
The benefits are clear, Besançon added. The laser weeder eliminates the need for herbicides,
reducing chemical exposure for workers, consumers and the environment. It also sidesteps the rising
problem of herbicide-resistant weeds such as Palmer amaranth, which has become a major concern
in New Jersey and New York.
“With this, we are using photons for weed control,” said Besançon, alluding to the fundamental
particles powering lasers. “It’s not just a new tool – it’s a new way of thinking about how we manage
weeds.” As the technology matures and becomes more affordable, Besançon said it could transform
weed management, especially for organic and specialty crop growers.
“It’s moving fast,” he said. The use of AI-guided machines equipped with carbon dioxide lasers and
cameras is gaining traction among West Coast farmers as a high-tech, eco-friendly alternative to
herbicides. Besançon said he sees great opportunities for farmers on the East Coast and beyond
to employ laser weeders as an important way to protect the environment. “We’re talking about our
food supply,” he said. “We need to grow vegetables like peas, beets and spinach, and we need better
ways to control weeds without harming the crops or the planet.”
Besançon said he never imagined he would be working with lasers in the field. “Ten years ago, I
would not have believed it,” he said. “But here we are. It’s exciting, and it’s just the beginning.”
Wesley Bouchelle, a technician at the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station’s Philip E. Marucci
Center for Blueberry & Cranberry Research, contributed to the study. Co-author Lynn Sosnoskie led
the Cornell University research team.
Note: The field trials in New Jersey were supported by the Vegetable Growers Association of New
Jersey, as well as the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station.