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Program 3 - Tunnel Sprayer
Program 3: Minimising Spray Drift and Environmental Contamination from Vineyards.
A common sight in the Australian countryside is an agricultural sprayer operating in vineyards or orchards. When plantings are young or early in the season, there is much spray material which is not deposited on the plant’s surface. It is the sight of such sprayers which makes members of the public nervous, especially when these agricultural operations are near to homes or schools.
In recent years in the wine industry, there have been many sprayer advances to improve the deposition of spray materials on the vines and to reduce any other contamination of the environment.
This project will involve the evaluation of tunnel sprayers which are used overseas but are unknown in Australia. Such sprayers have a shroud constructed of fibreglass (or similar material) which fits over the vine canopies. Spray fans are mounted inside the tunnel and any chemical run-off from foliage is collected by drains at the bottom. An advantage is that such sprayers can be used in windy conditions. However, the greatest advantage is that no spray material impacts on the non-target environment. For some spray chemicals, they can be captured and recycled through the spray tank, giving better economy.
The aim of this project is to construct such a tunnel sprayer in the Adelaide workshops of Croplands Pty Ltd and to evaluate it against conventional sprayers in a range of Australian vineyard situations. The studies will involve the fate of applied chemical and the extent of environmental contamination. Also involved will be an analysis of the economics of the use of such spray machines. An evaluation will be made of recent UK research whereby the spray volume applied varies with the measured leaf area of the planting. This will be quite simple to achieve using existing technology and by mounting appropriate sensors in the tunnel. The research will be supervised by the Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research and the School of Engineering, University of Tasmania, and other co-operators as required.
Outcomes of this research will be the evaluation of new spray technology for the Australian vineyard sector. This research will have important benefits in reducing chemical usage and improving efficiency, as well as meeting public objections to vineyard and other agricultural spraying. Since similar machines are in use overseas this project would appear to be quite feasible and to have minimal technical risks.
Current status: A PhD student from the University of Tasmania’s School of Engineering has commenced on this project. He has undertaken visits to Croplands’ South Australian workshop and is now finalising the design of the tunnel sprayer. A lab prototype is shortly to be constructed in the first half of 2010.