This precision technology enables pesticides savings and achieved in recent field trials savings ranging from 43% to 67% in specialty crops treatments.
Pulverizadores Fede’s AIs system has received another technological award, recognized as the Best Solution for a 4.0 Field at Expo Agritech 2024 (Málaga, Spain), a technology fair dedicated to improving agricultural sector competitiveness through innovation and sustainability.
This event brought together over 8.000 agricultural professionals to showcase the latest advancements in management systems, agricultural machinery, post-harvest equipment, greenhouses, energy, food safety, biotechnology, among others.
AIs system: effective treatments and significant pesticides savings
AIs is an integrated agronomic solution for specialty crops based on image processing and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Installed on a tractor, AIs can “see” the condition and vigor of crops by capturing images with 3D cameras that deliver highly detailed, precise, and timely data. The processing of these images provides valuable visual information about the size and condition of crops, enabling tree-by-tree precision treatments.
Connected to a sprayer with AIs enabled H3O technology, the AIs system sends individualized nozzle opening and closing commands to adapt the spray volume to the dimensions of the crop. This equipment maintains consistent pressure and flow, ensuring effective and uniform distribution and deposition of treatments.
In recent field trials carried out within the Life-AIs project, this system has shown pesticide use reductions of 43% in citrus, 48% in almond, 56% in intensive olive groves, and 67% in extensive olive groves, compared to a properly calibrated state-of-the-art sprayer where all nozzles remain open.
Obtainable pesticide savings depend on canopy size, variability, and tree spacing. Uniform canopies with minimal gaps, like trellised plantations, achieve lower savings. In contrast, highly variable canopies with wide gaps or missing trees yield significantly higher reductions, in occasions even surpassing the above-mentioned field trial results.
This makes the AIs system an innovative solution that significantly enhances the profitability and competitiveness of agricultural businesses while improving the sustainability of treatments for environmental positive impact.
About the LIFE-AIs Project
The AIs system has received support from the European Union’s LIFE programme to develop the project under the acronym LIFE-AIs (Project 101074540 — LIFE21-ENV-ES-Life-AIs). The consortium includes Fede (project leader), Agerpix as a technological partner, and major specialty crops growers such as Castillo de Canena (olive groves), Dominio Fournier D.O. Ribera de Duero (vineyards) belonging to the González Byass Group, as well as Agroptimum (pistachios). The technology is currently being tested and refined in plantations owned by the consortium members, aiming to expedite the transfer of innovation to the agricultural sector. For more information, visit LIFE-AIs project website.
With the contribution of the European Union’s LIFE Programme, the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action, under grant agreement Project 101074540 — LIFE21-ENV-ES-Life-AIs.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.