Crop robots as potential enablers of economical and biodiversity-smart small-scale farming

Abstract Purpose Reducing human labor requirements through crop robots is assumed to positively affect the economy of smaller fields. Strip cropping is a mechanizable approach to creating smaller subfields and increasing biodiversity but currently suffers from economic pressures. To investigate whether robots could present a labor-saving solution in this production system, two strip cropping field labs operated with autonomous equipment are studied. Methods Human labor during tractor and commerc