Crop adapted spray application: first field tests on the sprayer prototype developed in the ISAFRUIT project

Within the EU Project ISAFRUIT (www.isafruit.org), an automatic Crop Adapted Spray Application system (CASA) has been developed to ensure precise and safe use of pesticides in orchards. The system was designed to be composed by three sub-systems: (i) a Crop Health Sensor, identifying the heath status of the fruit crop; (ii) a Crop Identification System, identifying tree canopy size and density thanks to ultrasonic sensors; and (iii) an Environmentally-Dependent Application System (EDAS), identifying environmental circumstances during spray applications (position of the sprayer with respect to sensitive areas and wind velocity). CHS is still under development while CIS and EDAS systems have already been installed on CASA sprayer prototypes. Results of first field tests carried out in apple orchards using CIS and EDAS systems are reported.