Source: HERMAN LOSELY & SON, INC. submitted to NRP
EFFICACIOUS INSECT AND DISEASE CONTROL WITH INTELLIGENT SPRAY APPLICATION TECHNOLOGIES IN ORNAMENTAL NURSERIES IN THE MIDWEST AREA
Sponsoring Institution
Agricultural Research Service/USDA
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
USDA COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0430116
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Aug 1, 2016
Project End Date
Nov 30, 2018
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
HERMAN LOSELY & SON, INC.
3410 SHEPARD ROAD
PERRY,OH 44081
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
(N/A)
Animal Health Component
10%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
80%
Applied
10%
Developmental
10%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1250699113010%
1321110201010%
2161820202010%
4022110207050%
1252129208020%
Knowledge Area
132 - Weather and Climate; 216 - Integrated Pest Management Systems; 125 - Agroforestry; 402 - Engineering Systems and Equipment;

Subject Of Investigation
1110 - Apple; 2110 - Ornamental trees and shrubs; 1820 - Soybean; 2129 - Florist crops, other; 0699 - Trees, forests, and forest products, general;

Field Of Science
2010 - Physics; 2070 - Meteorology and climatology; 2020 - Engineering; 1130 - Entomology and acarology; 2080 - Mathematics and computer sciences;
Goals / Objectives
Evaluate pest control efficacy, reliability and durability for a newly developed intelligent sprayer to advance spray application technologies in commercial ornamental nurseries.
Project Methods
A new laser-guided variable-rate air-assisted sprayer developed to improve pesticide application efficiencies for ornamental nurseries will be tested for its performance on control of insects and diseases. The sprayer integrates a high speed laser scanning system to a custom-designed sensor-signal analyzer and variable-rate controller, variable-rate nozzles and a multi-channel air-assisted delivery system. This unique precision sprayer can visualize the presence, size, shape, and foliage density of target trees and apply only the necessary amount of pesticide. Field tests with randomized complete block designs for the new sprayer and conventional air-assisted sprayers will be conducted to compare pest control efficacy, pesticide uses, sprayer reliability and durability under different production conditions in commercial ornamental nurseries; economic analyses will be conducted to determine the savings that growers can gain by using the new sprayers and by the potential environmental cost remediation; educational materials will be produced through this project for workshops, field demonstrations and grower meetings to teach spray applicators how to use the new spray technologies.