**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE MAIN GOAL OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR COTTON PRODUCTION FARMERS TO HIRE LABORERS TO MANUALLY REMOVE PALMER AMARANTH FROM THE FIELD. THIS IS MOTIVATED BY THE CURRENT STATUS OF HERBICIDE RESISTANCE AND THE ADDITIONAL COST INCURRED TO MANAGE PALMER AMARANTH BY HAND. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL, OUR OBJECTIVES ARE TO 1) DESIGN, DEVELOP AND TEST A PALMER AMARANTH WEED REMOVAL TOOL AND 2) ASSESS THE EFFICACY OF WEED REMOVAL BY COMPARING IT TO CONVENTIONAL HERBICIDE SPRAYING PROGRAMS. THREE WEED REMOVAL TOOL ATTACHMENTS FOR A SMALLAUTONOMOUS ROVER WILL BE DESIGNED, BUILT AND TESTED TO PULL AND TRANSPORT WEED MATERIAL TO A HOPPER ON THE ROVER. CONVENTIONAL HERBICIDE, MANUAL WEED REMOVAL, WEED REMOVAL TOOL AND TREATMENT COMBINATIONS WILL BE COMPARED. THE GOAL IS TO ASSESS IF WEED TREATMENTS ARE DIFFERENT AND IF A WEED REMOVAL TOOL CAN BE AS EFFECTIVE AND MANUAL REMOVAL. TREATMENTS WILL ALSO BE COMPARED YEAR-TO-YEAR TO DETERMINE IF WEED REMOVAL CAN REDUCE SUBSEQUENT YEARS'WEED PRESSURE BY REDUCING THE WEED SEED BANK IN THE SOIL.