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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Wooster, Ohio » Application Technology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #400430
Research Project: Coordinated Precision Application Technologies for Sustainable Pest Management and Crop Protection

Location: Application Technology Research

Title: Protect horticultural crops and ecosystems with sustainable intelligent variable-rate sprayers

Author
item Zhu, Heping
item BOOHER, STEVE - Smart Apply, Inc
item VANDENBARK, GARY - Smart Apply, Inc

Submitted to: Symposium Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/20/2022
Publication Date: 12/28/2022
Citation: Zhu, H., Booher, S., Vandenbark, G. 2022. Protect horticultural crops and ecosystems with sustainable intelligent variable-rate sprayers. In: SIMA Agritech Day 5th Edition, November 5, 2022, Paris, France. p.229-242.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A laser-guided intelligent spray control system was developed and commercialized to revolutionize the decades-old airblast sprayers currently used in orchards, nurseries, vineyards and other horticultural crop production. Major components of the spray control system were a laser scanning sensor, a GPS unit, a touch screen tablet, a nozzle flow controller, a specially designed algorithm, and pulse width modulated solenoid valves connected to individual nozzles. The system was designed as a universal kit to be retrofitted on existing sprayers. The retrofit controlled sprayers to automatically produce variable-rate spray outputs to match plant foliage volume on-the-go, instead of the conventional practice using constant spray volume per hectare. Multi-year development and on-farm tests demonstrated that airblast sprayers retrofitted with the intelligent system could reduce pesticide use between 30% and 85%, reduce airborne spray drift between 60% and 90%, and reduce spray loss to the ground between 40% and 80%. Moreover, annual chemical savings reached $140 to $2400 per hectare depending on crop types and locations while the insect and disease control efficiencies were comparable to the conventional constant-rate spray practices. Apple, citrus, grape, pecan, nursery and other specialty crop growers in the USA and other countries have upgraded their existing spray equipment or purchased new sprayers with the intelligent spray control system for precision applications of pesticides, biological agents and foliar products. This new technology significantly reduces pesticide inputs into crop production and offers a sustainable and environmentally responsible approach to protecting crops.