Autonomous machines have the potential to maintain food production and agroecological farming resilience. However, autonomous complex mixed cropping is proving to be an engineering challenge because of differences in plant height and growth pattern. Strip cropping is technically the simplest mixed cropping system, but widespread use is constrained by higher labor requirements in conventional mechanized farms. Researchers have long hypothesized that autonomous machines (i.e., crop robots) might make strip cropping profitable, thereby allowing farmers to gain additional agroecological benefits. To examine this hypothesis, this study modeled ex-ante scenarios for the Corn Belt of central Indiana, using the experience of the Hands Free Hectare-Linear Programming (HFH-LP) optimization model. Results show that per annum return to operator labor, management, and risk-taking (ROLMRT) was $568/ha and $163/ha higher for the autonomous corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] strip crop farm compared to the whole field sole crop and the conventional strip crop farms, respectively, that were operated by human drivers. The conventional strip cropping practice was found challenging as this cropping system required four times more temporary hired labor than autonomous strip cropping and three times more than whole field sole cropping. Even if autonomous machines need 100% human supervision, the ROLMRT was higher compared to whole field sole cropping. Profitable autonomous strip cropping could restore and improve in-field biodiversity and ecosystem services through a sustainable techno-economic and environmental approach that will address the demand for healthier food and promote environmental sustainability.

中文翻译：

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使用自主机器进行条带作物的经济性

自主机器有潜力维持粮食生产和生态农业的恢复力。然而，由于植物高度和生长模式的差异，自主复杂混合种植被证明是一项工程挑战。从技术上讲，条带种植是最简单的混合种植系统，但广泛使用受到传统机械化农场较高的劳动力需求的限制。研究人员长期以来一直假设，自主机器（即农作物机器人）可能会使条带种植有利可图，从而使农民获得额外的农业生态效益。为了检验这一假设，本研究利用免提公顷线性规划 (HFH-LP) 优化模型的经验，对印第安纳州中部玉米带的事前情景进行了建模。结果显示，自主玉米 ( Zea mays L.) 和大豆 [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.]的操作员劳动力、管理和风险承担 (ROLMRT) 年回报为 568 美元/公顷，高出 163 美元/公顷。条状作物农场分别与由人类司机操作的全田单一作物和传统条状作物农场进行比较。传统的条带种植做法具有挑战性，因为这种种植系统需要的临时雇佣劳动力是自主条带种植的四倍，是全田单一种植的三倍。即使自主机器需要 100% 的人工监督，ROLMRT 也比全田单一作物更高。有利可图的自主条带种植可以通过可持续的技术经济和环境方法恢复和改善田间生物多样性和生态系统服务，从而满足对更健康食品的需求并促进环境的可持续性。