Abstract
Accurate crop row detection is often challenged by the varying field
conditions present in real-world arable fields. Traditional colour based
segmentation is unable to cater for all such variations. The lack of
comprehensive datasets in agricultural environments limits the researchers from
developing robust segmentation models to detect crop rows. We present a dataset
for crop row detection with 11 field variations from Sugar Beet and Maize
crops. We also present a novel crop row detection algorithm for visual servoing
in crop row fields. Our algorithm can detect crop rows against varying field
conditions such as curved crop rows, weed presence, discontinuities, growth
stages, tramlines, shadows and light levels. Our method only uses RGB images
from a front-mounted camera on a Husky robot to predict crop rows. Our method
outperformed the classic colour based crop row detection baseline. Dense weed
presence within inter-row space and discontinuities in crop rows were the most
challenging field conditions for our crop row detection algorithm. Our method
can detect the end of the crop row and navigate the robot towards the headland
area when it reaches the end of the crop row.