Smart Precision Weeding in Agriculture Using 5IR Technologies

Abstract

The rise of smart precision weeding driven by Fifth Industrial Revolution (5IR) technologies symbolizes a quantum leap in sustainable agriculture. The modern weeding systems are becoming promisingly efficient, intelligently autonomous, and environmentally responsible by introducing artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), 5G connectivity, and edge computing technologies. This review discusses a comprehensive analysis of the traditional and contemporary weeding techniques, thereby focusing on the technological innovations paving way for the smart systems. Primarily, this work investigates the application of 5IR technologies in weed detection and decision-making with particular emphasis on the role of the aspects such as AI-driven models, drone-robot integration, GPS-guided practices, and intelligent sensor networks. Additionally, the work outlines key commercial solutions, sustainability metrics, data-driven decision support systems, and blockchain traceable practices. The prominent challenges in the context of global agricultural equity pertaining to cost, scalability, policy alignment, and adoption barriers in accordance to the low-resource environments are discussed in this study. The paper concludes with strategic recommendations and future research directions, highlighting the potential of 5IR technologies on the smart precision weeding.