Using the conventional farming system, durum wheat requires high rates of herbicide spraying. Herbicide residues can cause pollution of soil and ground water and, therefore, of the entire environment. In order to minimise the environmental impact of herbicides, a home made system for spatially variable rate crop input application was designed, developed and set up by the Department of Engineering and Technologies in Agriculture and Forestry (I.T.A.F.). This system consists of a DGPS, a portable computer, a specifically developed software and a device for applying rates proportionally related to the machine forward speed (DPA). Tests of spatially variable rate herbicide application were carried out in inland Sicily, on a field of 8.4 ha (where a three-year crop rotation, broad bean/vetch - durum wheat - durum wheat, was practised), using a sprayer modified for applying variable rates and equipped with the above mentioned system. The results are promising. The spatially variable rate herbicide application allowed an almost even grain yield over the entire field and a saving of 29% of herbicides with respect to the amounts normally used with the conventional farming system.

CARRARA M, COMPARETTI A, FEBO P, ORLANDO S (2004). Spatially variable rate herbicide application on durum wheat in Sicily. BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING, 87(4), 387-392 [10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2004.01.004].

Spatially variable rate herbicide application on durum wheat in Sicily

CARRARA, Michele;COMPARETTI, Antonio;FEBO, Pierluigi;ORLANDO, SANTO
2004-01-01

Abstract

Using the conventional farming system, durum wheat requires high rates of herbicide spraying. Herbicide residues can cause pollution of soil and ground water and, therefore, of the entire environment. In order to minimise the environmental impact of herbicides, a home made system for spatially variable rate crop input application was designed, developed and set up by the Department of Engineering and Technologies in Agriculture and Forestry (I.T.A.F.). This system consists of a DGPS, a portable computer, a specifically developed software and a device for applying rates proportionally related to the machine forward speed (DPA). Tests of spatially variable rate herbicide application were carried out in inland Sicily, on a field of 8.4 ha (where a three-year crop rotation, broad bean/vetch - durum wheat - durum wheat, was practised), using a sprayer modified for applying variable rates and equipped with the above mentioned system. The results are promising. The spatially variable rate herbicide application allowed an almost even grain yield over the entire field and a saving of 29% of herbicides with respect to the amounts normally used with the conventional farming system.
2004
Settore AGR/09 - Meccanica Agraria
CARRARA M, COMPARETTI A, FEBO P, ORLANDO S (2004). Spatially variable rate herbicide application on durum wheat in Sicily. BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING, 87(4), 387-392 [10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2004.01.004].
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
2004_BiosystemsEng_SVRHerbicideApplication.pdf

accesso aperto

Dimensione 641 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
641 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10447/18060
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 24
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 19
social impact