000169405 001__ 169405
000169405 005__ 20260225153354.0
000169405 0247_ $$2doi$$a10.1016/j.compag.2026.111587
000169405 0248_ $$2sideral$$a148318
000169405 037__ $$aART-2026-148318
000169405 041__ $$aeng
000169405 100__ $$0(orcid)0000-0002-5569-0219$$aVigo-Morancho, Alba$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza
000169405 245__ $$aAir-assisted sprayer airflow interaction with traditional olive orchard canopies and its effect on spray distribution
000169405 260__ $$c2026
000169405 5060_ $$aAccess copy available to the general public$$fUnrestricted
000169405 5203_ $$aAir-assisted sprayers currently incorporate mechanisms that allow modification of airflow outlet characteristics, which is a key factor in product distribution quality. However, limited information exists on how airflow interacts with complex tree canopies, particularly in traditional olive orchards. The aim of this study was to model the behavior of airflow velocity generated by a previously laboratory characterized air assisted sprayer in a traditional olive orchard, as a function of air flow configuration (fan gearbox) and operational and canopy structural parameters.
Five olive trees were selected, and a three-dimensional grid of 64 measurement points (4 depths × 4 sections × 4 heights) was defined, where airflow velocity (m s−1) was recorded with a vane probe anemometer under two sprayer configurations. Canopy characterization was carried out using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) measurements, from which both canopy volume (m3) and density based on the number of impacts (NI) at each sampling location were determined. In addition, manual defoliations of 0.008 m3 cubes were performed at 8 positions per canopy, allowing a correlation between impacts and leaf area density (LAD, m2 m−3) to be established (R2 = 0.61).
Airflow within the canopy was characterized, and a model including sprayer gear setting, measurement depth, height, and categorized vegetation density (low or high density, LD or HD, respectively, based on the accumulated number of impacts across trees, NIa) explained 72% of the observed variability in air velocity inside the tree canopy. Spray performance was evaluated at the same sampling points using water-sensitive papers (WSP) and tracer collectors (manganese, Mn), allowing the effects of application parameters on coverage (%) and deposition (µg cm−2) to be quantified. These effects were largely consistent with those influencing air velocity, which was strongly correlated with both coverage and deposition. Notably, adequate coverage and deposition levels were predominantly associated with air velocities inside the canopy exceeding 2 m s−1, providing valuable insight for optimizing sprayer adjustment and operating conditions.
000169405 536__ $$9info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/PDC2022-133395-C43$$9info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/PID2019-104289RB-C43
000169405 540__ $$9info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess$$aby-nc-nd$$uhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.es
000169405 655_4 $$ainfo:eu-repo/semantics/article$$vinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
000169405 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0002-3630-7931$$aVidegain, María$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza
000169405 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0002-2864-0195$$aSerreta, Alfredo$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza
000169405 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0001-8526-351X$$aBoné, Antonio$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza
000169405 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0003-0373-8310$$aVidal, Mariano$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza
000169405 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0002-0227-1934$$aGarcía-Ramos, Francisco Javier$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza
000169405 7102_ $$15011$$2500$$aUniversidad de Zaragoza$$bDpto. CC.Agrar.y Medio Natural$$cArea Ingeniería Agroforestal
000169405 7102_ $$15004$$2545$$aUniversidad de Zaragoza$$bDpto. Ingeniería Mecánica$$cÁrea Ingeniería Mecánica
000169405 7102_ $$15002$$2305$$aUniversidad de Zaragoza$$bDpto. Ingeniería Diseño Fabri.$$cÁrea Expresión Gráfica en Ing.
000169405 773__ $$g246 (2026), 111587 [13 pp.]$$pComput. electron. agric.$$tComputers and Electronics in Agriculture$$x0168-1699
000169405 8564_ $$s11809750$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/169405/files/texto_completo.pdf$$yVersión publicada
000169405 8564_ $$s2406013$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/169405/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon$$xicon$$yVersión publicada
000169405 909CO $$ooai:zaguan.unizar.es:169405$$particulos$$pdriver
000169405 951__ $$a2026-02-25-14:58:45
000169405 980__ $$aARTICLE