The profitability of precision spraying on specialty crops: a technical–economic analysis of protection equipment at increasing technological levels

• DOI: 10.1007/s11119-017-9543-4
• Publication Date: 2017-10-23T18:39:57Z
• Authors: Emanuele Tona; Aldo Calcante; Roberto Oberti
• Keywords: Sprayer

A technical–economic analysis was conducted on three different technological levels of spraying equipment for specialty crops, based the results precision technologies reported in scientific literature. The application scenarios referred to general protection protocols against fungal diseases adopted vineyards and apple orchards Central-Southern Europe. evaluated total costs treatments (equipment + pesticide costs), comparing use conventional air-blast sprayers (referred as L0), on–off switching (L1), canopy-optimised distribution (L2). Pesticide savings from 10 35% were associated with L1 L2, compared L0. Within assumptions made, grapevines, sprayer L0 resulted most profitable option vineyard areas smaller than ha; ha approximately 100 ha, best option, while above more advanced L2 choice. On orchards, 17 ha. Above this value, profitable, never proved advantageous. Finally, a speculation possible prospectives introduction an autonomous robotic platform able selectively target diseased hypothesised. indicated that purchase price would make thanks assumed labour over sprayers, unrealistically lower current industrial cost. This study showed that, conditions, profitability cannot be only driver adoption intelligent platforms can specific conditions.