Design of a Flow Rate Adjustement System Related to Tree Foliage Surface Estimation by Using Ultrasonic Sensors (Smart Spraying Machine)
The changes in the shape and size of crops in orchards during growing season require acontinuous adjustment of applied dose to optimise spray application efficiency. Ultrasonic sensorscan be used for measurement of crop width and adapting the applied dose. A four arms multinozzleair-blast sprayer was fitted with four ultrasonic sensors to measure canopy volume in realtime, in relation to the variability of crop width. Crops are divided to four parts for measurements.There is a significiant differences between four parts of trees in the term of canopy volume.Highest density in the trees are detected at the 3.Zone of trees s expected. Lowest density in treesare detected at the 1.Zone of canopy, the highest place of the tree.Licor AM300 leaf area meter was used to measurement of leaf area and this measurements areused to determine Leaf Area Index(LAI). Results of leaf area meter showed similarity withultrasonic sensor measurementThis study was funded by TARAL A.Ş. and Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology under theSAN-TEZ program (Project number: 00558.STZ.2010-1)
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