In addition to new farm equipment, seed and precision ag products, the Iowa Power Farming Show features emerging technologies that farmers might be using on their farms in the future. 

One of the featured exhibitors at the annual show last week in Des Moines was Purdue University’s agBOT, an autonomous machine capable of identifying plants, destroying weeds and fertilizing crops. The unit was designed as a part of a student competition aimed at increasing technology in farming, explained Richard Fox, a computer analyst in Purdue’s agricultural sciences and communication department.

“You’re not getting as many hands or people to work on the farms, so you’ve got ...