Enhanced spray machines and prototypes development

Among the sprayers and system prototypes developed by Crop Protection Technology Research Group over the past 20 years there are:

• electronic system for PPP direct injection on field crop sprayers;
• vineyard sprayer able to adjust the spray profile on both sides according the transversal slope;
• GPS controlled spraying system for field crop sprayers to optimize the application along the field headlands;
• dedicated sprayer for application of kiwi orchards trained at ‘Pergola’ system;
• axial fan enabling to address the air flow evenly along the whole vegetation wall to apply;
• autonomous self-propelled sprayers prototypes able to apply pesticides on protected crops;
• system able to adapt the spray distribution profile, to the size and shape of orchards and vineyards;
• machine for chemical + mechanical weed control in vineyard;
• test benches for sprayers functional inspection and calibration;
• test benches for potential drift determination;
• pneumatic sprayer equipped with the anti-drift diffusor;
• machine for mechanical control of Popilia Japonica.

Gallery Prototypes

Applied researches and field tests

Public (Regional Administration, Ministries of Agriculture, of Environment and of University, European Union, etc.) and private (sprayer manufacturers, chemical companies, etc.) fundings concern in particular:

• improving the distribution of PPP to field crops, trees crops and covered crops with particular reference to the correct choice of operating parameters (volume rate, forward speed, velocity of the air generated by the fan, etc ..);
• solutions for drift reduction;
• operator, bystander and environmental safety;
• proper management of “remnants” (diluted liquids contaminated with PPP);
• weed control in tree crops;
• evaluation of the droplets size produced by different nozzles type;
• analysis of the relationship between volume rate (l/ha) and Leaf Wall Area in vineyard;
• spray mass balance in vineyard;
• evaluation of different technical solutions for dust drift reduction in exit from pneumatic drills
• use of drone for pesticide distribution in vineyard (in collaboration with Agricultural Mechatronics Research Group)

Gallery field tests