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Apple scab (Venturia inaequalis) is one of the most endemic diseases that affect apple production worldwide. An accurate management of Plant Protection Products (PPP) together with the use of the latest technologies is one of the objectives of the EU Horizon 2020 OPTIMA project, as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) system. Optimal dose adjustment of PPP in orchards requires an accurate identification of canopy characteristics and a precise sprayer adjustment to distribute the adequate amount of active ingredient and liquid proportionally to the canopy variations. Furthermore, the possibility to use available tools and knowledge to consider the potential variability inside the parcel will lead into a reduction of the amount of PPP, which is a shared objective with the EU Farm to Fork strategy. Within the OPTIMA project a smart orchard sprayer has been developed. The system incorporates 6 ultrasonic sensors (three per side) for canopy characterization. A dedicated program developed using python allows the system to calculate canopy width and canopy density along the row. This information, together with the georeferenced location of the sprayer and the actual forward speed is used to activate the six-solenoid proportional motor-valves controlling the six different spray sections. Information about working pressure and consequently the nozzle flow rate is recorded every 1 s in order to generate the actual application map. The system is based on the adaptation of the Tree Row Volume (TRV) method established by European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO, 2021) with additional information concerning canopy density. The system is linked with development of EDS (Early Detection System) and DSS (Decision Support System) within the OPTIMA project and the aim at the end of the project will be to link all the three technological developments to achieve a holistic smart sprayer. PROJECTE HORIZON 2020-OPTIMA

The aim of this work wasto evaluate the use of Variable Rate Application technologies based on prescription maps in commercial vineyards with large intra-parcel variability to achieve a more sustainable distribution of Plant Protection Products (PPP). This research was funded by the project Gophytovid: Optimización del uso de fitosanitarios en viticultura en base a mapas de vigor (Rural development 2014-2020 for Operational Groups)