The invention relates to a method for the application of spray liquid containing plant protection agents onto rows of plants with an agricultural spraying device, and an agricultural spraying device designed to carry out the method according to the invention, and a corresponding computer-readable medium.
With the nowadays available plant protection technology, plant protection agents are discharged over the whole surface also in row crops. In particular, plant protection agents, such as fungicides, insecticides, herbicides, foliar fertilizers etc., are usually discharged in row crops over the whole surface with agricultural spraying devices. In contrast, a discharge of the plant protection agent in the form of parallel strips/bands can be considered, where each strip covers one row of plants. For the utilization of a normal series sprayer as a strip sprayer, conversions would have to be made which then only permit an exclusive utilization as a strip sprayer with a fixed row distance. If in irregular field structures, the relation of the row of the culture to the nozzle is no longer adequate, one cannot switch to surface spraying, and false applications are inevitable. Strip spraying is traditionally combined with mechanical weed control, such as the use of a hoe. Here, the different demands on the conditions of use are disadvantageous: a hoe optimally works under dry conditions, plant protection agents show better effects when the soil is humid.
A row-like/strip-like discharge of the plant protection agents can be advantageous for reasons of the reduction of the amount of the discharged spray liquid. Moreover, a swift conversion from such a strip-like application back to the discharge of the plant protection agent over the whole surface can be required. A swift change of the row distance or a swift change to a discharge over the whole surface can be required in the discharge of plant protection agents to various plants on correspondingly different agricultural usable areas, or in a change to a different direction of travel of the spraying device (e. g. from parallel to perpendicular to the rows), which, however, cannot be realized according to prior art.
It is the object of the invention to at least partially alleviate or eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks.
The object is achieved by a method according to patent claim 1.
The invention accordingly defines a method for the application of spray liquid containing plant protection agents onto rows of plants with an agricultural spraying device that comprises groups of spray nozzles, wherein the groups of spray nozzles and the spray nozzles of each group are spaced apart from one another perpendicular to a travel path of the agricultural spraying device that extends parallel to the rows of plants, wherein each group of spray nozzles is individually controllable, and each spray nozzle in one respective group is individually controllable. The method comprises the following steps: controlling at least one spray nozzle each from at least some of the groups of spray nozzles by means of control signals of a control unit to select the respective spray nozzles; applying spray liquid with the selected spray nozzles onto one row of plants each; the spray liquid being applied from the selected spray nozzles as strip application in the form of respective strips in which the application of the spray liquid does not overlap within a nominal spray angle of directly adjacent spray nozzles of the selected spray nozzles. The portion of the groups of spray nozzles can here in particular be two or more groups of the totality of groups of spray nozzles.
Accordingly, each spray nozzle can be controlled individually and independently to control the strip application according to the invention. In particular, one or more spray nozzles of one group can be controlled to select/switch on the respective spray nozzles for applying spray liquid. Furthermore, in this manner, a plurality of groups of the totality of groups of the spray nozzles can contain selected spray nozzles, wherein the plurality of groups can be all groups, or only some of the totality of groups. Selected or switched-on nozzles can also be switched off again by controlling by means of the control unit, so that they do not discharge any spray liquid. The selection of the spray nozzles is here preferably accomplished such that a row of plants can be associated with the selected spray nozzles, or such that spray nozzles which no row of plants to which spray liquid is to be applied can be associated with due to their position are switched off. The nominal spray angle is here an angle that is indicated as a nominal value for broadening the jet (for example on the manufacturer's side). The respective strips, or below also the strip width and application heights, here relate to a plane ground or to the essentially plane areas between the rows of plants.
The method according to the invention can be further developed as follows.
To define the strip width of the strip application, a setting of an application height of the spray nozzles and/or a shifting of one or more groups of spray nozzles perpendicular to the travel path can furthermore be accomplished. As the spray nozzles perform the application at a defined nominal spray angle, the distance from the ground is also relevant for the width of the strip application. By setting the application height (for example, via an inclination of a whole arm of the agricultural spraying device with several groups of nozzles), for example, ground unevenness/inclinations can be compensated at least partially. By shifting groups of nozzles with respect to each other, distances of the strip application can be varied.
Furthermore, a new selection of the spray nozzles can be carried out and thereby, a switching from strip application to surface application with overlapping strips of directly adjacent ones of the newly selected spray nozzles can be accomplished, wherein for the surface application, spray nozzles having a larger nominal spray angle than for the strip application are preferably selected. By switching to surface application, one can easily change between strip and surface applications. Switching is accomplished e. g. upon a corresponding input into the control unit by the user automatically by the control unit.
Respective adjacent strips, in particular also the respective adjacent selected spray nozzles, can have a constant distance with respect to each other. This is advantageous with regularly arranged rows of plants and can be quickly realized e. g. by means of a predetermined combination of spray nozzles.
The method can comprise the further step of detecting a row distance of the rows of plants; wherein the selecting of the spray nozzle is accomplished such that a distance of adjacent selected spray nozzles corresponds to the detected row distance.
This can be further developed such that the detection of the row distance is accomplished by reading out data previously stored in a data store of the agricultural spraying device, in particular the control unit; or by manual input into an input means of the agricultural spraying device by a user, in particular the control unit, or measuring with a row distance sensor of the agricultural spraying device.
Respective predetermined configurations for spray nozzles to be selected for different row distances can be stored in a or the above-mentioned data store of the agricultural spraying device.
This can be further developed such that a configuration corresponding to a row distance is read out from the data store by a user input, and the control unit correspondingly selects the spray nozzles and controls them.
The method according to the invention or one of the further developments can furthermore comprise a step of setting a discharge amount of the spray liquid, the discharge amount of the spray liquid being accomplished by a manual input by a user or by calculation with a microprocessor of the agricultural spraying device, the calculation being accomplished in particular depending on a row distance and/or a strip width. In particular, the discharge amount can be automatically adapted in case of a switching between strip and surface applications.
The above-mentioned object is also achieved by an agricultural spraying device according to patent claim 10.
The agricultural spraying device according to the invention for the application of plant protection agents onto rows of plants comprises groups of spray nozzles, wherein the groups of spray nozzles and the spray nozzles of each group are spaced apart from one another perpendicular to a travel path of the agricultural spraying device that extends parallel to the rows of plants, and a control unit for controlling the spray nozzles, wherein the control unit preferably comprises a microprocessor and/or a data store. Here, each group of spray nozzles is individually controllable, and each spray nozzle in one respective group is individually controllable. Furthermore, the control unit is embodied to select at least one spray nozzle each from at least some of the groups of spray nozzles by means of control signals, wherein the agricultural spraying device is embodied to apply spray liquid with the selected spray nozzles onto one row of plants each, the application of the spray liquid is accomplished from the selected spray nozzles as a strip application in the form of respective strips, and the application of the spray liquid does not overlap within a nominal spray angle of directly adjacent ones of the selected spray nozzles. The portion of the groups of spray nozzles can here in particular be two or more groups of the totality of groups of spray nozzles.
The agricultural spraying device according to the invention can be further developed as follows.
Each group of spray nozzles can contain the same arrangement of spray nozzles and/or each group of spray nozzles can comprise nozzles with different nominal spray angles, and/or the totality of the groups of spray nozzles can be height-adjustable, and/or the individual groups of spray nozzles can be height-adjustable, wherein the control unit can be embodied, in order to define the strip width of the strip application, to furthermore cause a setting of an application height of the spray nozzles and/or a shifting of one or more groups of spray nozzles perpendicular to the travel path.
The arrangement of the spray nozzles in each group can comprise a plurality of spray nozzles with a first nominal spray angle and exactly one spray nozzle with a second nominal spray angle, wherein the second nominal spray angle is larger than the first nominal spray angle. The individual spray nozzle with the larger nominal spray angle in each group is here preferably provided for a surface application.
In two directly adjacent groups, the distance of the outer spray nozzles in each group can be equal to the distance between directly adjacent spray nozzles of the two groups. In this manner, a uniform spray nozzle distance may be realized.
According to another further development of the agricultural spraying device, the control unit can be furthermore embodied to perform a new selection of the spray nozzles to thereby cause a switching from the strip application to a surface application with overlapping strips of directly adjacent ones of the newly selected spray nozzles.
The agricultural spraying device can be embodied to detect a row distance of the rows of plants; wherein the control unit can be embodied to select the spray nozzles such that a distance of adjacent selected spray nozzles corresponds to the detected row distance.
A steering of the agricultural spraying device can be controllable, and the control unit can furthermore be embodied to control the strip application by controlling the steering, in particular to spray the spray liquid centrally onto the rows of plants and/or to cause a positioning of the selected spray nozzles by an offset of the traffic path perpendicular to the rows of plants.
The above-mentioned object is also achieved by a computer-readable medium according to patent claim 16.
On the computer-readable medium according to the invention, a computer program according to the invention is stored. The computer program according to the invention comprises instructions which cause the agricultural spraying device according to the invention to perform the method steps according to the invention.
Further features and exemplary embodiments as well as advantages of the present invention will be illustrated more in detail hereinafter with reference to the drawing. It will be understood that this embodiment cannot exhaust the complete field of the present invention. It will be furthermore understood that some or all features described below may also be combined with each other in a different way.
One embodiment of the agricultural spraying device according to the invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the figures.
The agricultural spraying device 100 according to the invention is used for the application of plant protection agents onto rows of plants 90, comprising groups 10a-10n of spray nozzles, wherein the groups 10a-10n of spray nozzles 21a-24a, . . . , 21n-24n (see
The agricultural spraying device 100 comprises a control unit 30 for controlling the spray nozzles 21a-24a, . . . , 21n-24n, wherein the control unit 30 comprises a microprocessor and a data store. Here, each group 10a-10n of spray nozzles can be controlled individually and in particular independently, and each spray nozzle 21a-24a, . . . , 21n-24n in one respective group is individually controllable. Here, controllable means that one or more spray nozzles of one group can be controlled to select/switch on the respective spray nozzles for applying spray liquid. A plurality of groups of spray nozzles can be selected from the totality of groups of the spray nozzles, wherein the plurality of groups can be all groups or only a portion of the totality of groups. Selected or switched-on nozzles can be switched off again by controlling them by means of the control unit, so that they do not discharge any more spray liquid. The selection of the spray nozzles is accomplished here such that a row of plants can be associated with the selected spray nozzles, and such that spray nozzles which no row of plants to which spray liquid is to be applied can be associated with due to their position are switched off.
Furthermore, the control unit 30 is embodied to select at least one spray nozzle 21a-24a, . . . , 21n-24n of each group 10a-10n of spray nozzles by means of control signals. Furthermore, the agricultural spraying device 100 is embodied to apply spray liquid with the selected spray nozzles 21a-24a, . . . , 21n-24n onto one row of plants 90 each, wherein the application of the spray liquid is accomplished from the selected spray nozzles 21a-24a, . . . , 21n-24n as a strip application in the form of respective strips 91. The application of the spray liquid does not overlap within a nominal spray angle α of directly adjacent ones of the selected spray nozzles. Here, directly adjacent selected spray nozzles can be of different groups, however, they can also be of one group. The row distance of the rows of plants can be entered by a user or has been previously stored in the control unit.
Each group 10a-10n of spray nozzles contains the same arrangement of spray nozzles 21a-24a, . . . , 21n-24n, and each group of spray nozzles comprises nozzles with at least two different nominal spray angles. At the end of a spray beam to which the groups of spray nozzles are attached, an edge spray nozzle can be provided which has an irregular angular distribution of the spray liquid, in particular such that at the outer edge of the angular region, spraying takes place essentially vertically to the bottom and not further to the outside. In contrast, the mentioned spray nozzles 21a-24a, . . . , 21n-24n in the groups 10a-10n of spray nozzles have an essentially symmetrical angular distribution about the vertical direction.
The strip application can be accomplished at an application height of ca. 35 cm with a spray pressure of ca. 2 bar and with a discharge amount of ca. 100 l/ha, these indications being given only by way of example. The surface application can in contrast be accomplished with a spray pressure of ca. 5 bar and a discharge amount of ca. 300 l/ha, these indications also being given only by way of example. The control by the control unit 30 can in particular also comprise the control of the spray pressure.
For example, the spray nozzles 21b, 22b, and 24b can include a nominal spray angle α of 40° (which is, for example, well-suited for strip application), while the spray nozzle 23b can include a nominal spray angle α of 120° (which is well-suited for surface application).
The control unit 30 is embodied to carry out a new selection of the spray nozzles 21a-24a, . . . , 21n-24n to thereby cause a switching from strip application to surface application with overlapping strips of directly adjacent ones of the newly selected spray nozzles.
The agricultural spraying device 100 according to this embodiment can be embodied to detect a row distance of the rows of plants; wherein the control unit 30 is embodied to select the spray nozzles 21a-24a, . . . , 21n-24n such that a distance of adjacent selected spray nozzles corresponds to the detected row distance.
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In other words, the invention provides the following advantages. The device according to the invention permits the user to switch from surface application to strip application in the field usage at any time. Without any conversion measures, applications in different row cultures (sugar beets, corn, potatoes etc.) are possible. The amount of plant protection agents can be clearly reduced without any losses in their effect. This lowers the costs and protects the environment. Depending on the row width of the cultures, an operation-individual nozzle configuration is fitted and programmed. By the stroke of a key, one can switch from strip application to the common surface application as desired. The exemplary 4-fold nozzle body (group of spray nozzles) offers a 50-cm partial width operation and nozzle positions at a 25-cm and 50-cm distance with a flexible operation of each individual nozzle. This nozzle body design permits a row relation both with a 75-cm and a 50-cm row width without any conversion measures. In the operator terminal (control unit), the desired application amount for surface and strip applications is stored. Thus, the required amount is automatically adapted in case of a change of function. An active rod assembly guide (of the rod assembly to which the spray nozzles are fixed) can ensure that the nozzle height is exactly maintained, and can thereby also ensure the precision of the application. If nozzles with a 40-degree spray angle are used, a strip of a width of 25 cm results, for example. If the rod assembly is guided at a lower level, the strip can also have a smaller design.
To reach the reduction aims in plant protection, the weeds between the rows can be removed with hoe appliances. Systemic herbicides applied in a strip offer a reliable weed control supplementing the hoe. The all-over employment of insecticides has become common again after the elimination of the many seed dressing agents. The control of the harmful organisms can be more efficient if the active substances are applied to the cultivated plant in a maximally admissible concentration. The same applies to the application of high-quality fungicides in potato cultivation.
Depending on the row widths, a reduction of plant protection agents in the mentioned applications of 40 to 50% (row distance 45/50 cm sugar beets) or 50 to 65% (row distance 75 cm corn, potatoes) is possible. In particular combinations of track gauges and row distances, a (single) installation of dislocation sets for positioning the nozzle bodies can permit even more flexibility. The change between different row width and surface application is possible at any time without any conversion measures. The reduction of plant protection agents directly relieve the environment. Large areas of the field are no longer treated with plant protection agents. Destructive insects on the cultivated plants are detected, beneficial organisms between the rows are protected. The use of nozzles with narrow spray angles and a lower rod assembly height moreover increases the drop speed and reduces the drift. By the reduction of the overall required amounts (l/ha), a higher performance per area is possible per machine. The application can be accomplished even better at the optimal point in time.
The shown embodiments are only given by way of example, and the complete scope of the present invention is defined by the claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2019 124 182.0 | Sep 2019 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2020/074403 | 9/2/2020 | WO |