Kilter and Kubota partner up to scale ultra-precise weeding in European vegetables
Kubota present the partnership for the press at Agritechnica
10 November 2025, Kilter and Kubota are partnering to pilot and promote Kilter’s AX-1 precision weeding robot in Europe, including at Agritechnica 2025. The collaboration starts in Germany and the Netherlands with selected dealers, selling and supporting AX-1 operations. Target users are vegetable growers, spinach, salads/lettuces, herbs, celeriac, strawberries and many more, aiming to solve weed control with the benefit of higher yields and quality while cutting chemical use to an absolute minimum.
AX-1 is an autonomous weeding robot for bed-grown vegetables. It uses AI weed recognition and ~6 mm placement accuracy to deliver micro-doses directly to weeds, protecting the crop and limiting soil impact. With Kilter’s patented Single Drop Technology, growers can reduce herbicide use by up to 95%, shifting selectivity from chemistry to smart application. This helps address fewer approved herbicides, rising resistance, costly approvals for niche crops, and scarce labor for manual weeding, without compromising young plants or crop uniformity.
The agreement is a result of a longer cooperation between the companies. During the 2025 pilot season, multiple AX-1 units operated several times per week depending on crop. Farmers and dealers evaluated yield, crop development, quality and overall effectiveness versus current practice and reported positive feedback.
Kubota sees growing demand for practical, environmentally friendly solutions that support healthier, faster-growing crops, earlier harvests and higher quality. Through this partnership, Kubota connects dealers and customers with advanced robotics for vegetable production.
About Kubota
Kubota is a global manufacturer of agricultural equipment, founded in 1890 and headquartered in Japan. The company operates in more than 120 countries with the brand statement “For Earth, For Life.” Its focus is practical solutions for food, water, and the environment, supported by a broad dealer and service network. In this partnership, Kubota brings distribution, service, and field expertise to help growers adopt Kilter’s AX-1 quickly and reliably. See the press release from Kubota here