Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Marco Fontanelli is a leading figure in sustainable agricultural engineering, specializing in non-chemical weed control and agricultural robotics. His work addresses the critical challenge of reducing herbicide reliance in cropping systems, with a major focus on intra-row weed control—the most difficult area for mechanical and thermal methods. Fontanelli’s highly cited review (92 citations) provides a comprehensive analysis of cultivators, finger-weeders, and brush weeders for organic and low-input farming, establishing a foundational reference for the field. He has also pioneered the use of cross-flaming for weed control in maize and developed innovative strategies for physical weed control in vegetable crops, demonstrating practical alternatives to chemical herbicides. Beyond weed management, Fontanelli has made significant contributions to agricultural automation. He designed and tested feeding grippers for vegetable plug transplanters, advancing the development of automatic and robotic transplanters. His work on autonomous mowers is equally notable, including the assessment of cutting performance using custom software and the evaluation of random versus systematic mowing trajectories for turfgrass management. With recent publications on field robots and long-distance tracking of mower patterns, Fontanelli continues to shape the future of precision agriculture, driving the transition toward more efficient, automated, and environmentally friendly farming systems.