System and method for plant treatment based on neighboring effects

Abstract

A method for plant treatment, including: receiving a first measurement for a plant from a sensor as the sensor moves within a geographic area comprising a plurality of plants; in response to receipt of the first measurement and prior to receipt of a second measurement for a second plant of the plurality, determining a set of treatment mechanism operation parameters for the plant to optimize a geographic area output parameter based on the first measurement and historical measurements for the geographic area; determining an initial treatment parameter for the plant; and operating a treatment mechanism in a treatment mode based on the set of operating parameters in response to satisfaction of the initial treatment parameter.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a first measurement for a geographic area from a sensor as the sensor moves within the geographic area, the geographic area comprising a plurality of plants;   identifying a first plant based on the first measurement;   determining a target output parameter for the first plant by optimizing a geographic area output parameter for the geographic area based on the first measurement and historical measurements for the plurality of plants;   selecting a regulation action for the first plant based on the target output parameter;   in response to selection of the regulation action for the first plant, determining a set of operation parameters for operation of a treatment mechanism based on a parameter of an ambient environment feature and target output parameters for secondary plants of the plurality of plants, the secondary plants associated with the first plant by the ambient environment feature;   selecting an initial treatment parameter for the first plant based on the selected action; and   operating the treatment mechanism in a treatment mode based on the set of operating parameters in response to satisfaction of the initial treatment parameter.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treatment mechanism comprises a nozzle, wherein selecting an initial treatment parameter comprises:
 determining a geographical distance between the plant and the anticipated nozzle traversal path;   determining an initial spray position as the initial treatment parameter based on the distance and a treatment mechanism velocity;   
       wherein operating the treatment mechanism comprises operating the nozzle in a spray mode in response to nozzle alignment with the initial spray position. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein operating the nozzle in a spray mode comprises generating droplets of a growth regulator and applying the droplets to the plant. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the ambient environmental feature comprises wind, wherein the secondary plants comprise plants downwind from the first plant. 
     
     
         5 . A method comprising:
 receiving a first measurement for a plant from a sensor as the sensor moves within a geographic area comprising a plurality of plants;   in response to receipt of the first measurement and prior to processing of a second measurement for a second plant of the plurality, determining a set of treatment mechanism operation parameters for the plant based on a target geographic area output parameter, the first measurement, and historical measurements for the geographic area;   determining an initial treatment parameter for the plant; and   operating a treatment mechanism in a treatment mode based on the set of operating parameters in response to satisfaction of a treatment initiation event.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising verifying the action with a secondary sensor arranged distal the first sensor, across the treatment mechanism. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the geographic area output parameter comprises crop yield for the geographic area, wherein the historical measurements for the plurality of plants comprise measurements for a subset of the plurality of plants, taken within a time period of the first measurement. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the time period is a duration of continuous operation of the system. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein determining a set of treatment mechanism operation parameters for the plant to optimize a geographic area output parameter comprises determining the set of operation parameters based on an ambient environment parameter of the plant. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein determining the set of operation parameters based on an ambient environment parameter of the plant comprises:
 identifying secondary plants from the plurality of plants, each secondary plant associated with the plant though the ambient environment parameter;   determining a target output parameter for each of the secondary plants; and   determining the set of operation parameters based on the ambient environment parameter and the target output parameter for each of the secondary plants.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein determining the set of operation parameters based on the ambient environment parameter and the target output parameter for each of the secondary plants comprises:
 analyzing an effect of a potential treatment associated with a potential set of operation parameters on each of the secondary plants based on the potential treatment and the ambient environment parameter; and   in response to the effect of the potential treatment promoting the target output parameters for a threshold proportion of the secondary plants, selecting the potential set of operational parameters associated with the potential treatment as the set of operation parameters.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the ambient environment parameter comprises a landform gradient, wherein identifying secondary plants comprises identifying a physical position of the plant within the geographic area and identifying secondary plants positioned inferior the plant along the gradient; and analyzing an effect of the potential treatment comprises analyzing the effect of treatment carryover to the secondary plants. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein identifying a physical position of the plant within the geographic area comprises determining the physical position based on a position measurement associated with the first measurement, the position measurement recorded by a geographic location sensor statically coupled to the sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the treatment mechanism comprises an electrical discharge device, wherein:
 determining an initial treatment parameter for the plant comprises selecting a treatment position on the plant as the initial treatment parameter;   determining a set of treatment mechanism operation parameters comprises selecting an electrical discharge voltage based on a target output parameter for the plant, the target output parameter for the plant determined from the geographic area output parameter optimization;   satisfaction of the initial treatment parameter comprises alignment of the active area with the treatment position;   operating the treatment mechanism in a treatment mode comprises moving the electrical discharge device to the treatment position and operating the electrical discharge device to output the electrical discharge voltage.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein selecting a treatment position on the plant comprises identifying a thinnest portion of a stem of the plant most electrically proximal a substrate supporting the plant, and selecting a second portion of the stem electrically located between the thinnest portion and the substrate. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising selecting the electrical discharge voltage based on an electrical conductivity of plant substrate and target output parameters for secondary plants electrically connected to the plant, the target output parameters for the secondary plants determined from the geographic area output parameter optimization. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising selecting an electrical discharge current based on a sensor movement velocity. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the treatment mechanism comprises a working fluid application device, wherein:
 determining an initial treatment parameter for the plant comprises identifying a first and second leaf of the plant and selecting a treatment position between the first and the second leaf of the plant as the initial treatment parameter;   determining a set of operation parameters comprises determining a second volume of working fluid to apply to the plant from the treatment position;   satisfaction of the initial treatment parameter comprises alignment of the active area with the treatment position; and   operating the treatment mechanism in a treatment mode comprises moving the working fluid device to the treatment position and operating the application device to apply the working fluid to one of the first or second leaves.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein operating the application device to apply the working fluid to one of the first or second leaves comprises atomizing the working fluid prior to application to the first or second leaf. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein atomizing the working fluid comprises forming droplets at a nozzle of the working fluid application device and charging each droplet within a predetermined threshold of a Rayleigh limit for the droplet.