Spapperi Inter-plant Weeder SA AI by SPAPPERI N.T. S.R.L.
- Date of creation : 1964
- Sales contact : Andrea Bernicchi (andrea@spapperi.com)
- Website : https://www.spapperi.com/en/
"Spapperi was founded in 1964 by Aldo Spapperi, its founding member, and Spapperi brothers Dino, Carlo and Filippo. During the first years of its operation the firm carried out generic metal engineering but then it began to design and fabricate agricultural machinery used for growing tobacco and horticulture.
Spapperi is a leading Italian manufacturer of agricultural machinery, specialising in transplanters, weeders, ridgers, toppers, sprayers and harvesters across vegetable and horticultural sectors.
Since 1964, Spapperi have been designing, developing and manufacturing equipment, and are now present in 56 countries worldwide. Spapperi is also specialise in tree planters and harvesters for medicinal and aromatic crops."
Spapperi Inter-plant Weeder SA AI by SPAPPERI N.T. S.R.L.
Types of crops
Vegetables
Crop Phases
In-crop management | mechanical weeding
Technology Overview
- Latest revision : 7/13/2026
- Commercial release date : October 2025
- Application : The Spapperi Inter‑Plant Weeder SA‑AI is a mechanical weeder engineered for precise, in-row weed control, delivering high efficiency while reducing reliance on chemicals and minimising environmental impact.
Commercialisation Overview
- Technology Readiness Level (TRL) : 10: Market introduction - Full commercial operation
- Units in Service - Global : 51 to 100
- Business model : Distributor network
- Price :
- Ongoing Costs : No
Market Coverage, Distributors and Service Suppliers
- Countries or markets addressed :
Europe, USA, Australia
Performance & Economic Impact
- Estimated ROI :
100% in 2-3 years
- Phytosanitary Product Savings :
Reduce labour cost by 90%
- Yield Improvement :
2-in-1 Function: Weeder (weed removal) + Tiller (oxygenation).
Zero Chemicals: 100% biological, 100% mechanical, driven by Artificial Intelligence.
Plant Health: Soil oxygenation reduces water stress and enhances nutrient uptake.
Technical specifications
- Type of solution : Mechanical weeder
- Power source : Hydraulics and tractor battery power.
- Required Tractor Power : 3-point linkage, on-board hydraulics
- Size :
- Metric: Depends on how many units
- Imperial:
- Net weight : Depends on how many units
- Min Farm Size (In hectares) : 10 hectares (25 acres)
- Productivity : 4.500 – 8.500 plants/h per row according to in-plant distance
- Maximum operating speed : 8 - 10km/h (5.0 – 6.2 mph)
- Wheel spacing : Fixed - 1.5 m / 2.0 m / 2.8 m / 3.0 m
- Horse power : 80 hp
Functionalities and technologies
- Core Functionality : Independent element technology sits at the core of the system, with each unit operating autonomously. If a plant is slightly off-centre or the terrain is uneven, the unit adjusts instantly without impacting the others. Using AI, the tiller approaches each plant with millimetre-level precision, disturbing the soil only where needed. The system recognises the plant’s root zone and works the surrounding soil without causing damage, delivering up to 99% efficiency.
- Software : AI-driven optical guidance controls the opening and closing of the rotary tillers, as well as the 3D hydraulic for featuring vertical shifting to adapt to the terrain and horizontal shifting for row alignment. Tablet interface for machine settings and movement configuration.
- Connectivity : The weeder does not require GPS to operate, only the tractor itself.
- Compatible Tools : N/A
Development Roadmap
- Next phase : Performance improvements will be ongoing.