** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS PROPOSAL WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE PROGRAM AREA, 'ENGINEERING FOR PRECISION CROP AND WATER MANAGEMENT' AND WE WILL ADDRESS THE PRIORITY, 'DEVELOP SYSTEMS OR TECHNOLOGY FOR SENSING, AUTOMATION AND MECHANIZATION OF LABOR-INTENSIVE TASKS IN PRECISION CROP AND WATER MANAGEMENT'. THE RESEARCH IS NEEDED BECAUSE THERE ARE NO ROBOTIC WEED MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES DESIGNED FOR PLASTICULTURE PRODUCTION OF SPECIALTY CROPS IN THE USA. THE OVERALL GOAL IS TO DESIGN, BUILD, AND EVALUATE AUTONOMOUS WEED MANAGEMENT ROBOTS WITH INTEGRATED PRECISION HERBICIDE APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ARE: (1) TO ENHANCE GRASS WEED DETECTION ACCURACY WITHIN BROADLEAF CROPS, (2) DEVELOP AN AUTONOMOUS PLATFORM CAPABLE OF NAVIGATING COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE FIELDS WITH INTEGRATED SMARY SPRAY TECHNOLOGY FOR HERBICIDE APPLICATION, AND (3) EVALUATE THE AUTONOMOUS WEED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE AND STRAWBERRY SCENARIOS. WE ARE FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON GRASSES BECAUSE THEY ARE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE BY HAND, THERE ARE REGISTERED HERBICIDES FOR GRASSES IN ALMOST EVERY VEGETABLE CROP, AND THE LONG NARROW STRUCTURE OF THE LEAVES POSES UNIQUE CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF IMAGE LABELLING AND HERBICIDE COVERAGE. SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT OF THIS TECHNOLOGY WILL REDUCE HERBICIDE INPUTS VIA APPLICATION OF HERBICIDES ONLY WHERE WEEDS OCCUR AND REDUCE RELIANCE ON HAND LABOR FOR WEED REMOVAL.