Investigating the effect of installing an electrostatic system on the performance of an orchard automizer sprayer

Despite knowledge of the harmful effects of pesticides, the production and sale of pesticides and sprayers remain a growing industry worldwide, particularly in Asia. Given the current need to ensure food supply for the increasing global population and the necessity of pesticide use, the development of innovative systems presents a practical and rapid solution to reduce pesticide consumption. Therefore, the utilization of pesticide technologies, such as electrostatic sprayers, can not only enhance the performance of pesticide application but also reduce the adverse environmental impacts of pesticide use. Furthermore, since electrostatic systems are relatively simple and can be installed on various types of sprayers, they can be commercially utilized in agriculture within a short timeframe. In this study, an electrostatic system was designed and constructed to charge pesticide particles and improve the performance of orchard automizer sprayers. The performance of this system was assessed, and it successfully charged water droplets through the electrostatic induction method, achieving a maximum specific charge of 1.0 millicoulombs per kilogram at a flow rate of 1 L per minute and a distance of 10 centimeters from the sprayer nozzle, using a voltage of 20 kilovolts. Moreover, the performance of the electrostatic orchard automizer sprayer was evaluated under real orchard conditions, considering pesticide deposition on trees and the ground, as well as particle drift. The assessment involved image processing of water-sensitive paper to evaluate pesticide deposition. The electrostatic system significantly reduced particle drift to zero, and on average, 12 % of the water-sensitive paper surfaces, placed for simulating pesticide deposition on the back of leaves, became pesticide-laden.