International Journal of Plant Protection

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Performance Evaluation of Newly Developed Variable Rate Sprayer for Spray Deposition in Guava Orchard


Affiliations
1 Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, College of Technology and Engineering, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur (Rajasthan), India
2 Department of Agricultural Statistics and Computer Application, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur (Rajasthan), India
3 Department of Farm Machinery and Power, College of Agricultural Engineering, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli (M.S.), India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Application of pesticide inside orchards with conventional sprayers often results in an inefficient application as these are constant rate applicators and also the significant amount of pesticide gets lost in spaces between trees. To reduce the pesticide losses inside orchards, a variable rate sprayer was developed which sprayed only after the occurrence of the tree and according to the size of the tree. The performance of the developed variable rate sprayer was evaluated inside guava trees to quantify the spray deposition at six different plant positions. The sprayer was operated at three forward speeds (2, 3 and 4 km/h) with four air velocity levels (20, 25, 30 and 35 m/s) and two different types of nozzles (hollow cone and flat fan nozzle). The observed data was statistically analyzed to study the significance of selected parameters on spray deposition. The spray deposition was found to significantly increase with the increase in air velocity and hollow cone nozzle was able to deposit more amount of spray as compared to flat fan nozzle. There was no significant variation was observed with different forward speeds. The maximum spray was deposited on upper leaf surface at all selected plant position. The uniform spray deposition was observed with the air velocity of 35 m/s and hollow cone nozzle. Even though the developed variable rate sprayer varied the discharge of nozzles according to tree size, it was able to deposit the adequate amount of spray at all selected plant positions.

Keywords

Ultrasonic Sensor, Variable Rate Sprayer, Precision Farming, Orchard Sprayer.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Anonymous (2011). Manual on horticulture statistics. Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation, Government of India, NEW DELHI, INDIA.

  • Anonymous (2014). IIHR Annual Report 2013-14. Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru (KARNATAKA) INDIA.

  • Chen, Y., Zhu, H. and Ozkan, H.E. (2012).Development of a variable rate sprayer with laser scanning sensor to synchronize spray outputs to tree structures. Trans. ASABE, 55 (3) : 773-781.

  • Chen, Y., Ozkan, H.E., Zhu, H., Derksen, R.C. and Krause, C.R. (2013). Spray deposition inside tree canopies from a newly developed variable-rate air- assisted sprayer. Trans. ASABE, 56 (6) : 1263-1272.

  • Chen, Y., Zhu, H., Ozkan, H.E., Derksen, R.C. and Krause, C.R. (2013). Spray drift and off-target loss reductions with a precision air-assisted sprayer. Trans. ASABE, 56 (6) : 1273-1281.

  • Derksen, R.C., Zhu, H., Fox, R.D., Brazee, R.D. and Krause, C.R. (2007). Coverage and drift produced by air induction and conventional hydraulic nozzles used for orchard applications. Trans. ASABE, 50 (5) : 1493-1501.

  • Escola, A., Camp, F., Solanelles, F., Planas, S. and Rosell, J.R. (2003). Tree crop proportional spraying according to the vegetation volume. First Results. Proceedings of the 7th Workshop on Spray Application Techniques in Fruit Growing, Cuneo, Italy, 43-49pp.

  • Escola, A., Rossel-Polo, J.R., Planas, S., Gil, E., Pomar, J., Camp, F., Llorens, J. and Solanelles, F. (2013). Variable rate sprayer. Part 1 – Orchard Prototype: Design, implementation and validation. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 95, 122-135pp.

  • Giles, D.K., Delwiche, M.J. and Dodd, R.B. (1989). Sprayer control by sensing orchard crop characteristics: Orchard architecture and spray liquid savings. J. Agric. Engg. Res., 43 (4) : 271-289.

  • Gil, E., Escola, A., Rosell, J.R., Planas, S. and Val, L. (2007). Variable rate application of plant protection products in vineyard using ultrasonic sensors. Crop Protec., 26 (8) : 1287-1297.

  • Gil, E., Llorens, J., Llop, J., Fabregas, X., Escola, A. and Rossel-Polo, J.R. (2013). Variable rate sprayer. Part 2 – Vineyard prototype: Design, implementation and validation. Comput. & Electro. Agric., 95 : 136-150.

  • Jeon, H.Y., Zhu, H., Derksen, R.C., Ozkan, H.E. and Krause, C.R. (2011). Evaluation of ultrasonic sensor for variable-rate spray applications. Comput. & Electro. Agric., 75 (1) : 213-221.

  • Jeon, H.Y. and Zhu, H. (2012). Development of variable rate sprayer for nursery liner applications. Trans. ASABE, 55 (1) : 303 - 312.

  • Llorens, J., Gil, E., Llop, J. and Escola, A. (2010). Variable rate dosing in precision viniculture: Use of electronic device to improve application efficiency. Crop Protec., 29 (3) : 239-248.

  • Molto, E., Martin, B. and Gutierrez, A. (2000). Design and testing of an automatic machine for spraying at a constant distance from the tree canopy. J. Agric. Engg. Res., 77 (4) : 379 - 384.

  • Molto, E., Martin, B. and Gutierrez, A. (2001). Pesticide loss reduction by automatic adoption of spraying on globular trees. J. Agric. Engg. Res., 78 (1) : 35-41.

  • Salyani, M., Farooq, M. and Sweeb, R.D. (2007). Spray deposition and mass balance in citrus orchard applications. Trans. ASABE, 50 (6) : 1963-1969.

  • Singh, S.P., Gupta, K. and Kumar, S. (2014). Judicious use of pesticides in sustainable crop production and PGR Management. E-publication NBP-14-02, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, NEW DELHI, INDIA.

  • Solanelles, F., Escola, A., Planas, S., Rosell, J., Camp, F. and Gracia, F. (2006). An electronic control system for pesticide application proportional to the canopy width of tree crops. Biosyst. Engg., 95 (4) : 473-481.

  • Zhu, H., Derksen, R.C., Guler, H., Krause, C.R. and Ozkan, H.E. (2006). Foliar deposition and off-target loss with different spray techniques in nursery applications.Trans.ASABE, 49(2) : 325- 334.


Abstract Views: 377

PDF Views: 0




  • Performance Evaluation of Newly Developed Variable Rate Sprayer for Spray Deposition in Guava Orchard

Abstract Views: 377  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Sachin Vilas Wandkar
Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, College of Technology and Engineering, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur (Rajasthan), India
Yogesh Chandra Bhatt
Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, College of Technology and Engineering, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur (Rajasthan), India
H. K. Jain
Department of Agricultural Statistics and Computer Application, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur (Rajasthan), India
K. G. Dhande
Department of Farm Machinery and Power, College of Agricultural Engineering, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli (M.S.), India

Abstract


Application of pesticide inside orchards with conventional sprayers often results in an inefficient application as these are constant rate applicators and also the significant amount of pesticide gets lost in spaces between trees. To reduce the pesticide losses inside orchards, a variable rate sprayer was developed which sprayed only after the occurrence of the tree and according to the size of the tree. The performance of the developed variable rate sprayer was evaluated inside guava trees to quantify the spray deposition at six different plant positions. The sprayer was operated at three forward speeds (2, 3 and 4 km/h) with four air velocity levels (20, 25, 30 and 35 m/s) and two different types of nozzles (hollow cone and flat fan nozzle). The observed data was statistically analyzed to study the significance of selected parameters on spray deposition. The spray deposition was found to significantly increase with the increase in air velocity and hollow cone nozzle was able to deposit more amount of spray as compared to flat fan nozzle. There was no significant variation was observed with different forward speeds. The maximum spray was deposited on upper leaf surface at all selected plant position. The uniform spray deposition was observed with the air velocity of 35 m/s and hollow cone nozzle. Even though the developed variable rate sprayer varied the discharge of nozzles according to tree size, it was able to deposit the adequate amount of spray at all selected plant positions.

Keywords


Ultrasonic Sensor, Variable Rate Sprayer, Precision Farming, Orchard Sprayer.

References