Automated plant treatment systems and methods

A plant treatment apparatus, comprising:

• at least one plant treatment device comprising one or more treatment channels each configured as a fluid flow channel comprising a fluid flow applicator associated with a controllable fluid valve and a fluid pressure regulator, said fluid flow channel being configured and operable to deliver compressed air to the fluid flow applicator by the controllable fluid valve and to control air pressure by the fluid pressure regulator to generate a controlled air flow having a predetermined profile and being a directional and targeted air flow towards specific one or more regions in at least a portion of a plant being treated, to controllably apply a force field to said at least a portion of the plant, said controllable air flow comprising one or more air pulses, wherein each of said one or more air pulses has certain duration and has a predetermined rise time of the air pressure from a first minimal pressure value to a second maximal pressure value controlled by a speed of opening of the controllable fluid valve and defining frequency content of the pulse and amplitude profile, such that said directional and targeted air flow thereby induces a vibration pattern in the at least portion of the plant, such that the air pulses, inducing said vibration pattern, reach the at least portion of the plant with a predetermined rise time and predetermined amplitude providing the vibration pattern characterized by a plurality of vibration frequencies including vibration frequencies above a predetermined value, to thereby apply treatment to said at least portion of the plant;
• a sensing system comprising one or more sensors configured and operable to provide sensing signals indicative of a condition of said at least portion of the plant, said one or more sensors comprising an optical sensor configured and operable to provide the sensing signals indicative of image data of said at least portion of the plant;
• and
• a communication utility for data communication with a control system to transmit the sensing signals to the control system and receive from the control system operational data for said at least one plant treatment device, the operational data being indicative of operational parameters of the controllable fluid valve and the fluid pressure regulator of the at least one plant treatment device to apply and/or adjust said force field to minimize expansion of the air pulses so that the air pulses reach the at least portion of the plant with predetermined fast rise time and predetermined amplitude to thereby induce the vibration pattern, characterized by the plurality of vibration frequencies above the predetermined value, corresponding to the treatment for said at least portion of the plant.

A plant treatment device for use in a plant treatment apparatus to apply treatment to at least portion of a plant, the plant treatment device comprising:

• one or more treatment channels each configured as a fluid flow channel comprising a fluid flow applicator associated with a controllable fluid valve and a fluid pressure regulator, said fluid flow channel being configured and operable to deliver compressed air to the fluid flow applicator by the controllable fluid valve and to control air pressure by the fluid pressure regulator to generate a controlled air flow having a predetermined profile and being a directional and targeted air flow towards specific one or more regions in at least a portion of a plant being treated, to controllably apply a force field to said at least a portion of the plant, said controllable air flow comprising one or more air pulses, wherein each of said one or more air pulses has certain duration and has a predetermined rise time of the air pressure from a first minimal pressure value to a second maximal pressure value controlled by a speed of opening of the controllable fluid valve and defining frequency content of the pulse and amplitude profile, such that said directional and targeted air flow thereby induces a vibration pattern in the at least portion of the plant, such that the air pulses, inducing said vibration pattern, reach the at least portion of the plant with a predetermined rise time and predetermined amplitude providing the vibration pattern characterized by a plurality of vibration frequencies including vibration frequencies above a predetermined value, to thereby apply treatment to said at least portion of the plant;
• a sensing system comprising one or more sensors configured and operable to provide sensing signals indicative of a condition of said at least portion of the plant, said one or more sensors comprising an optical sensor configured and operable to provide the sensing signals indicative of image data of said at least portion of the plant;
• and
• a communication utility for data communication with a control system to transmit the sensing signals to the control system and receive from the control system operational data, the operational data being indicative of operational parameters of the controllable fluid valve and the fluid pressure regulator of the at least one plant treatment device to apply and/or adjust said force field to minimize expansion of the air pulses so that the air pulses reach the at least portion of the plant with predetermined fast rise time and predetermined amplitude to thereby induce the vibration pattern, characterized by the plurality of vibration frequencies above the predetermined value, corresponding to the treatment for said at least portion of the plant.