SLIDE 1 Evaluation of a Prototype Variable Rate Sprayer for Spot-Specific Application of Agrochemicals in Wild Blueberry
Nova Scotia Agricultural College
10th International Conference Precision Agriculture Meeting July, 2010
- Q. Zaman, T. Esau, A. Schumann, D. Percival, S. Read
Authors:
SLIDE 2
- Only grow in Eastern North
America
- Unlike high bush cultivated
blueberries, wild blueberries grow naturally.
- Wild blueberries spread by
rhizomes under the soil.
- Grow on a two-year cycle. (one
vegetative growth, and the
Background – Wild Blueberry
www.fruitandveggie.com
SLIDE 3 Grasses and Weeds
Reduce agrochemical use Reduce agrochemical use Increase farm profitability Increase farm profitability Decrease environmental pollution Decrease environmental pollution
Site Site-specific Technology Can: specific Technology Can:
Wild Blueberry Fields Need to be Managed Site-Specifically
Bare spots: 30%-50%
Soil and crop variability
SLIDE 4
Boom width = 20ft Boom sections = 8 @ 2.5ft spacing Boom height = 30in Each section = 1 ultrasonic/nozzle 8-channel computerized controller DJ Land Manager II controller
Cost-Effective Prototype Variable Rate Sprayer
SLIDE 5
Determining Mechanical Delay Time
Canon FS100 digital camcorder Bulb
SLIDE 6
Delay in Real-Time
SLIDE 7
Video Frames Analysis
SLIDE 8
Video - VR Sprayer Testing in Hay Field
SLIDE 9
Variable Rate Sprayer Field Test (Goldenrod)
SLIDE 10
Video Clip - Uniform
SLIDE 11
Video Clip - Variable Rate
SLIDE 12
Water Sensitive Papers Coverage Results
Uniform Variable Rate
SLIDE 13 Uniform R2 = 0.83 Variable R2 = 0.77
20 40 60 80 100 50 55 60 65 70
Weed height (cm^2) Area coverage (%)
Uniform Variable
Relationship Between Weed Height and Area Coverage of the Target (Goldenrod)
Track 1
uniform R2 = 0.75 variable R2 = 0.66
20 40 60 80 100 50 55 60 65 70 Weed height (cm^2)
Uniform Variable
Track 2
SLIDE 14
Determine Sprayer Accuracy by Mapping Tall Weed Coverage (GPS)
Real-Time Kinematic DGPS Base Station
SLIDE 15
Comparison of Weed and Spray maps using RTK-GPS
SLIDE 16
VR Sprayer Evaluation in a Wild Blueberry Field Consisting of Fern, Grass, and Dogbane
SLIDE 17
Weeds and Spray Maps
SLIDE 18
Weeds and Spray Maps
SLIDE 19 (Variable) y = -2.6131x + 186.2 R2 = 0.66 (Uniform) y = -3.3065x + 228.49 R2 = 0.75
20 40 60 80 100 50 55 60 65 70
Weed height (cm^2) paper sprayed area (%)
Variable Uniform
Relationship Between Weed Height and Coverage Area of the Target (Fern, Grass, and Dogbane)
Variable, y = -1.9885x + 159.34 R2 = 0.60 Uniform, y = -1.651x + 139.79 R2 = 0.66
20 40 60 80 100 50 55 60 65 70 Weed height (cm^2) Paper area sprayed (%)
Variable Uniform
Track 1 Track 2
SLIDE 20
Test Tracks Track 1 Track 2 L/ha
20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
Percent
20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
Variable (L/ha) Uniform (L/ha) Weed area (%) VR Saving (%)
Chemical Saving with Spot-Application
SLIDE 21
for in-season spot application of agrochemicals in wild blueberry cropping systems to significantly reduce the amount of agrochemical usage
- Offers a huge cost saving for
farmers
- Accurate.
- Environmentally friendly
Conclusions
SLIDE 22
Nova Scotia Agricultural College
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
SLIDE 23
QUESTIONS?
