Electrocution and containment methods to reduce the activity of red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, Ol.)

Aim of study: To evaluate the susceptibility of the Rhynchophorus ferrugineus to electric discharges, to eventually use this application in synergy with other methods as part of an integrated control strategy.Area of study: Worldwide.Material and methods: Three different electric voltage intensities were applied to R. ferrugineus to investigate the insect’s susceptibility in both adult and larval stages. The transmission and diffusion of electricity within a portion of the palm tree was tested. In addition, the suitability of containment materials for handling and transportation of plant residues was tested.Main results: The results of adult test showed that the total number of eggs laid per mating couple and the number of larvae born were about 1.5 times higher in the control compared to the electrified samples. The duration of the electric discharge on larvae had a small impact on the mortality rate, while the electric voltage showed a strong impact on mortality (87% for 10 V and 99% for 15 V). The presence of a significant electric current was observed in a viable portion of stem (distance from the source of electricity 10 cm) providing a direct current with 250 V tension. Among the materials tested for the transportation of palm residues, the aluminium net sheet showed the best results in the containment of both larval and adult individuals.Research highlights: Electrocution has proven to be a system which can help in the control of red palm weevil reducing the use of synthetic chemicals

Innovative Device for Automated Monitoring of Table Olive Fermentation Parameters: First Experimental Results

The table olive sector is highly important to the Italian agri-food industry. To produce quality table olives without defects in appearance, flavors, or aroma and to meet consumer expectations, special precautions must be taken to limit side effects associated with transformation and storage processes. During these processes, essential to debitter and stabilize the final product, drupes may undergo undesirable fermentations due to changes in the olive-to-brine ratio, temperature changes, and alteration of the brine’s chemico–physical parameters, thus decreasing their commercial and nutritional value. An innovative user-friendly system, equipped with low-cost digital and sensorized devices, has been engineered and realized for step-by-step batch monitoring of table olive storage brines. The main fermentation parameters (i.e., temperature, pH, salinity, free acidity, volatile acidity, and residual sodium hydroxide) of virgin, compliant, and altered brines were analyzed with both the automated prototype and Official reference methods, with the aim of testing the functionality of the prototype device and verifying the reliability and repeatability of the measurements. Good linearity was observed for all parameters examined, with a relatively low mean deviation between the two approaches. It is therefore possible to constantly monitor brine conformity automatically during the processing stages, benefiting product quality and environmental, energy, and economic sustainability

MECHANIZED MANAGEMENT OF PRUNING RESIDUES IN SWEET CHESTNUT ORCHARDS

In Italy, Dryocosmus kuriphilus is a major insect pest of chestnut orchards causinggall formation and significant yield losses. The use of the parasitoid wasp Torymussinensis is an effective biological control method that requires the appropriatemanagement of the pruning residues, to preserve the woody galls in which T.sinensis adults overwinter. An innovative tractor-pulled combined mechanicalshredder was tested for treating the residues, once the pruning operations arecompleted. The machine processes the residues in a single-step, picking-up theprunings from the orchard floor, shredding them to appropriate size, and collectingthem into a rear container. The shredded residues may then be concentrated into afew piles for the long-term field storage, until next spring. The aim of the studywas to evaluate the machinery’s operative performance, the quality of the shreddedbiomass and the impact on gall integrity. In the field trials, the machineryeffectively shredded the residues achieving an average operative capacity of 1.19ha∙h-1 and a work capacity of 1.79 t∙h-1. Moisture content, apparent bulk density,and particle size distribution of the shredded biomass were determined. Over 95%of wood chips were included in the 3.15-45 mm size range, making them suitablefor use in residential biomass furnaces. The calorific power of the chestnut residueswas similar to that reported for other hardwood species (18-20 MJ∙kg-1). Also, themechanical action of the shredder preserved at least two thirds of the winter galls,safeguarding the parasitoid’s life cycle

Deficit Irrigation for Efficiency and Water Saving in Poplar Plantations

Water resources are increasingly limited and less available, so improving water use efficiency is particularly pressing in the agricultural sector, where inefficient irrigation systems are often in operation. Drip irrigation is one of the most water-saving systems that can optimize distribution according to the actual needs of the crop. In the present study, an engineered drip irrigation system was applied to a poplar crop dedicated to the production of biomass for energy use. The aim was to evaluate the influence of the supply of different volumes of irrigation water on crop growth. Four levels of water supply were tested (theses T1, T2, T3, and T4), each determined by different intervention thresholds established by using four soil moisture sensors, one for each thesis (PLOT) (20, 30, 40, and 50 percent, respectively). In the third growing season, the effect of the different amounts of irrigation water supplied on plant growth was particularly evident between control T1 (104 m3 ha−1) compared with T2 (540 m3 ha−1), T3 (1924 m3 ha−1) and T4 (4549 m3 ha−1). Regarding biomass production, no statistical differences were found between T2 (8.97 Mg DM ha−1 year−1), T3 (9.99 Mg DM ha−1 year−1) and T4 (10.02 Mg DM ha−1 year−1), but they were all different from T1 (7.09 Mg DM ha−1 year−1. This leads to the conclusion, at least up to the third growing season, that with equal satisfactory levels of biomass production, water and energy savings can be achieved by choosing intermediate levels of water supply (e.g., with the sensor at 30%) as compared to the maximum value tested

Machine Vision Retrofit System for Mechanical Weed Control in Precision Agriculture Applications

This paper presents a machine vision retrofit system designed for upgrading used tractors to allow the control of the tillage implements and enable real-time field operation. The retrofit package comprises an acquisition system placed in the cabin, a front-mounted RGB camera sensor, and a rear-mounted Peiseler encoder wheel. The method combines shape analysis and colorimetric k-nearest neighbor (k-NN) clustering for in-field weed discrimination. This low-cost retrofit package can use interchangeable sensors, supplying flexibility of use with different farming implements. Field tests were conducted within lettuce and broccoli crops to develop the image analysis system for the autonomous control of an intra-row hoeing implement. The performance showed by the system in the trials was judged in terms of accuracy and speed. The system was capable of discriminating weed plants from crop with few errors, achieving a fairly high performance, given the severe degree of weed infestation encountered. The actuation time for image processing, currently implemented in MATLAB integrated with the retrofit kit, was about 7 s. The correct detection rate was higher for lettuce (from 69% to 96%) than for broccoli (from 65% to 79%), also considering the negative effect of shadows. To be implementable, the experimental code needs to be optimized to reduce acquisition and processing times. A software utility was developed in Java to reach a processing time of two images per second

Electrocution and containment methods to reduce the activity of red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, Ol.)

Aim of study: To evaluate the susceptibility of the Rhynchophorus ferrugineus to electric discharges, to eventually use this application in synergy with other methods as part of an integrated control strategy.Area of study: Worldwide.Material and methods: Three different electric voltage intensities were applied to R. ferrugineus to investigate the insect’s susceptibility in both adult and larval stages. The transmission and diffusion of electricity within a portion of the palm tree was tested. In addition, the suitability of containment materials for handling and transportation of plant residues was tested.Main results: The results of adult test showed that the total number of eggs laid per mating couple and the number of larvae born were about 1.5 times higher in the control compared to the electrified samples. The duration of the electric discharge on larvae had a small impact on the mortality rate, while the electric voltage showed a strong impact on mortality (87% for 10 V and 99% for 15 V). The presence of a significant electric current was observed in a viable portion of stem (distance from the source of electricity 10 cm) providing a direct current with 250 V tension. Among the materials tested for the transportation of palm residues, the aluminium net sheet showed the best results in the containment of both larval and adult individuals.Research highlights: Electrocution has proven to be a system which can help in the control of red palm weevil reducing the use of synthetic chemicals