Agrishow Special: Embrapa launches two new technologies to improve the application of phytosanitary control products in crops

Embrapa Meio Ambiente (Jaguariúna, SP) launched at the 25th Agrishow, from April 30th to May 4th in Ribeirão Preto, SP, two new technologies to improve the application of products for phytosanitary control of crops. They are: the droplet electrification accessory for use in hydraulic knapsack sprayers and the induction droplet electrification accessory in tractor sprayers with air turbines, for use in shrub and tree crops, such as fruit growing, including coffee.

According to researcher Aldemir Chaim, creator of the technologies, “they will allow Brazilian agriculture to establish itself in a more technological and efficient scenario of controlling pests and diseases in crops, capable of promoting greater efficiency in the application of products to crops, responding society's growing demand for technological solutions that determine more efficient methods of agricultural production”.

With the aim of developing revolutionary low-cost electrostatic spraying systems, also accessible to small producers, Embrapa has been developing, since the 90s, technologies that improve this type of spraying. According to Chaim, the technology has already been tested on several crops, and an average increase of 60% in the deposition of syrup on plants has been proven. “Better deposition significantly reduces the amount of spray applied, translating into efficiency in pest control”, he highlights.

Still according to the researcher, “as important as applying the correct product following the recommendations of a professional, is ensuring that the applied product reaches the desired biological targets in the necessary quantity. The absence of this concern can result in negative impacts on humans, the environment and the product.”

Patents

New electrostatic spraying technologies were patented by Embrapa and licensed to Brazilian companies to promote the necessary improvements, aiming to make them available to the consumer market.

The accessory for electrifying drops for the use of backpack hydraulic sprayers was licensed to the company Magnojet Indústria e Comércio de Produtos Agrícolas, in Ibaiti, PR. This accessory will allow common hydraulic sprayers to operate as electrostatic. The prediction is that the common hydraulic system, when converted, will add a 30% to 60% increase in deposition in plants to the process. The company Magnojet intends to sell the accessory already installed on its backpack hydraulic equipment.

Chaim believes that this system will promote the democratization of cutting-edge spraying technology, meaning that small farmers will also have access to electrostatic spraying. “Knapsack sprayers, which are the cheapest pesticide spraying technologies, are widely used in small cultivation areas, mainly in vegetable farms and greenhouses, notably by small family farmers”, explains the researcher.

The induction droplet electrification system for tractor sprayers with air turbines, unlike the electrostatic systems available on the market, was developed by Embrapa in partnership with FM Copling in Araraquara, SP. 

The technology has fan nozzles, fixed outside the air flow circuit and the drops from a set of 4 nozzles are electrified by parallel rods, subjected to high voltage. This results in a reduction in the number of high voltage sources to power the circuit, in addition to preventing the electrostatic assembly from becoming dirty or short-circuiting the electrostatic induction system. According to FM Copling, this new type of equipment can be operated with tractors with less power than the old sprayers.

“The equipment is towed by a tractor, with a fan to induce air and optimize the flow of droplets inside the mass of leaves, providing excellent coverage and distribution of the drops. A sensor system recognizes the target plant, releasing the flow or interrupting spraying between one plant and another”, explains Chaim.

Results of use and testimonials from producers in various regions of the world indicate that electrostatic equipment promotes a reduction in the volume of syrup used and an increase in the deposition of the product in plants, and in some cases can also provide a reduction in applications, that is, a reduction in the cost of phytosanitary treatment.

“The direct benefit of increasing pest and disease control efficiency with electrostatic spraying is that it optimizes the deposition of pesticides on plants and reduces losses to the soil, when compared to conventional spraying”, highlights Chaim.