Feature

Autonomous farm robots optimise pest control with electric linear actuators

Strawberry fields are subject to a significant, ongoing threat from insects, especially lygus bugs, which feed on the sap of strawberry plants. Left unchecked, lygus bugs damage fruit by puncturing individual seeds; this, in turn, stops the development of the berry in the area surrounding the feeding site.

02/09/2025 16:22:01

Agrobot, a Spain-based specialist in the rapidly growing field of agricultural robots and smart farming machinery, has developed a new pest control solution, which incorporates Thomson electromechanical actuators, to vacuum the lygus without harming the strawberries.

Limitations of existing vacuum systems
More than half of all strawberry farmers in California control lygus infestations with vacuum fans mounted on tractors. The driver guides the tractor through the rows and over the bushes, and operates powerful vacuum fans that suck the lygus away from the beds.

The closer the vacuum gets to the plants without touching them, the greater the suction and the more effective the removal of the pests. Since the plants vary in height, operators rely on their judgment to adjust the proximity of the fan, raising and lowering it.

“Using traditional vacuum fans attached to tractors is a noisy, windy and dusty job. We had been working with a farmer on automating his strawberry harvesting operations, and he asked us to automate bug removal as well,” said Juan Bravo, CEO of Agrobot.

Read the full article in DPA's September 2025 issue

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.