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Real-Time Variable Rate Spraying in Orchards and Vineyards: A Review

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Abstract

Effective and efficient use of pesticides in the orchards is of concern since many years. With the conventional constant rate sprayers, equal dose of pesticide is applied to each tree. Since, there is great variation in size and shape of each tree in the orchard, trees gets either oversprayed or undersprayed. Real-time variable rate spraying technology offers pesticide application in accordance with tree size. With the help of suitable sensors, tree characteristics such as canopy volume, foliage density, etc. can be acquired and with the micro-processing unit coupled with proper algorithm, flow of electronic proportional valves can be controlled thus, controlling the flow rate of nozzles according to tree characteristics. Also, sensors can help in the detection of spaces in-between trees which allows to control the spray in spaces. Variable rate spraying helps in achieving precision in spraying operation especially inside orchards. This paper reviews the real-time variable rate spraying technology and efforts made by the various researchers for real-time variable application in the orchards and vineyards.

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Acknowledgements

Authors sincerely thank the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India for providing support for this work through INSPIRE Fellowship Program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, College of Technology and Engineering, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, India

    Sachin Vilas Wandkar, Yogesh Chandra Bhatt & Shashikant G. Pawar

  2. Department of Agricultural Statistics, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, India

    H. K. Jain

  3. Department of Farm Machinery and Power, Dr. A. S. College of Agricultural Engineering, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Maharashtra, India

    Sachin M. Nalawade

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  1. Sachin Vilas Wandkar
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Correspondence to Sachin Vilas Wandkar.

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Wandkar, S.V., Bhatt, Y.C., Jain, H.K. et al. Real-Time Variable Rate Spraying in Orchards and Vineyards: A Review. J. Inst. Eng. India Ser. A 99, 385–390 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40030-018-0289-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40030-018-0289-4

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