U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Application Technology Research: Wooster, OH
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                                    Software
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    Careers


        


                    Departments
                        Agricultural Engineering
                                    Entomology
                                    Horticulture
                                    Plant Pathology
                                    IR-4 programSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Midwest Area Wooster, Ohio Application Technology Research Research Publications at this Location





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Title:   Author  item
                                            Jeon, Hongyoungitem
                                            Zhu, Hepingitem
                                            Derksen, Richarditem
                                            OZKAN, ERDAL - The Ohio State Universityitem
                                            Krause, Charles
  Submitted to: ASABE Annual International Meeting
                                    Publication Type: Proceedings
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 8/22/2011
                                    Publication  Date: 8/24/2011
                                    Citation: Jeon, H., Zhu, H., Derksen, R.C., Ozkan, E., Krause, C.R. 2011. Development of an experimental variable-rate sprayer for nursery liner applications. ASABE Annual International Meeting. Paper No. 1110537. http://asae.frymulti.com/azdez.asp?search=1&JID=5&AID=37217&CID=loui2011&T=1.Interpretive Summary:
                                Technical Abstract: Sensor-guided application technologies are needed to achieve constant spray deposition for the rapid growth of nursery liner trees during a growing season. An experimental real-time variable-rate sprayer that implemented 20 Hz ultrasonic sensors and pulse width modulation (PWM) solenoid valve-controlled spray nozzles was developed to adjust spray outputs automatically based on the liner canopy size. The developed sprayer consisted of two vertical booms, an ultrasonic sensor detecting system coupled with a spray flow rate controlled unit, a microcontroller and a spray delivery system. Two booms were integrated with five opposing pairs of equally spaced spray nozzles. The sensors were mounted 0.36 m ahead of spray nozzles to ensure sufficient time for processing signals. The accuracy of the sprayer in triggering spray against detected targets moving at 3.2 km/h was evaluated by use of a high-speed camera. A laboratory field consisting of six different sized tree species was used to test the sprayer performance consistency. Test results revealed that spray nozzles were triggered from 4.5 to 12.5 cm ahead of detected targets. Seventy-five percent of test runs for detecting canopy volume of the six tree species produced significant (P < 0.05) Pearson correlation coefficients from 0.43 to 0.88 when the sprayer travel speed was from 3.2 to 6.4 km/h. While the sprayer applied variable output rates from 0 to 20.4 L/min at travel speeds from 3.2 to 8.0 km/h, the mean spray coverage inside canopies of six tree species was from 12.0 to 14.7 % and mean spray deposit was from 0.72 to 0.90 μL/cm2. Effects of travel speed on both mean spray deposit and coverage were insignificant (P > 0.05). Therefore, the newly developed sprayer offered a possibility to achieve uniform spray deposition and coverage for nursery liner applications despite variations in liner canopy size and sprayer travel speed.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov