Sprayers used in greenhouses: parameters of distribution

The aim of this research is the evaluation of the behaviour of some equipment used for the distribution of plant-protection products in Mediterranean greenhouses. Some spraying tests were carried out using the machinery most commonly used in southern Sicily, spraying a water-based solution with food colouring and positioning the targets on supports suitably arranged among the crops in the greenhouse. In order to evaluate the quality of the distribution, for each piece of equipment used the principal parameters usually taken into consideration were measured: percentage of the surface covered, the number of impacts per surface unit and the dimensions of the spots. Measurement of these parameters was carried out making use of a system based on image analysis.