Weed control with an autonomous work device

A weed control method for an autonomous work device, wherein the autonomous work device comprises

• driving means configured to move the autonomous work device in an outdoor environment,
• sensor means configured to sense an environment of the autonomous work device and to generate a sensor signal based on the sensed environment, and
• a control circuit configured to control the driving means to navigate the autonomous work device in the environment based on the sensor signal, and the method comprising:
• obtaining a location of a target plant in the environment, wherein obtaining the location of a target plant in the environment comprises detecting a plant in the environment based on the sensor signal, determining whether the detected plant is the target plant, and computing the location of the target plant,
• switching, by the control circuit, from a standard operating mode into a weed suppression mode, and
• controlling, by the control circuit, the driving means in the weed suppression mode, to position at least one wheel of the driving means on the computed location of the target plant and to perform a predetermined movement pattern of the autonomous work device while simultaneously maintaining the at least one wheel in an area at the location of the target plant, for exerting mechanical stress on the target plant,
• wherein performing the predetermined movement pattern comprises setting a rotational speed of the at least one wheel to zero and moving at least one other wheel with a rotational speed different from zero for a predetermined time or for a predetermined angle.