Archives Research

Read the published research journals from Dr. Heping Zhu, Agricultural Engineer for the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

For controlling pests, decreasing pesticide use, and reducing production costs and worker exposure to pesticide risks, this new generation of intelligent sprayer delivers precisely what it was designed to do.

The development and testing team represents a collaboration between CFAES, FABE, CFAES’s Department of Entomology and the USDA-Agricultural Research Service.

The intelligent sprayer reduced airborne spray drift by up to 87 percent and reduced spray loss on the ground by 68 to 93 percent compared to a conventional sprayer.

A team of Agricultural Research Service and university scientists has developed a new laser-guided spraying system that controls spray outputs to match targeted tree structures.

ARS scientists and colleagues developed a laser-guided variable-rate spraying system that delivers orchard pesticides with more accuracy and less waste.

A variable-rate air-assisted sprayer implementing laser scanning technology was developed to apply appropriate amounts of pesticides based on tree canopy characteristics.

Variable rate spray applications using intelligent control systems can greatly reduce pesticide use and in nursery and orchard productions.

Innovative new spray technologies will deliver pest control formulations in an economical, accurate, timely and environmentally sustainable manner.