Using less water and obtaining equal or better results while decreasing the concentration of pesticides is the result of technical tests carried out in December 2021 by the Italian company Martignani in a citrus grove in Sicily,
On the left the Martignani sprayer; on the right a traditional sprayer in a citrus grove
"Our technologies are perfectly suited to the citrus sector and with a very specific purpose that allows the producer to use less water, less time and fewer chemicals per hectare," said Luca Bellettini, Martignani's sales manager for Italy.
Coverage tests: the first picture shows the results with a conventional sprayer, the second picture shows the results with Martignani sprayers
The tests carried out recently have utilized a double sprayer, one positioned at the bottom with the spray direction upwards, and one at the top with the jets pointing downwards. "In this way, we are able to reach the entire foliage and wood (branches/trunk) with uniformity, with a better controlled distribution. While other technologies use on average about 1500-2000 liters of water per hectare, we have carried out tests with 750, 500 and even 300 liters per hectare".
The Martignani sprayer, with double sprayers
We have achieved optimal coverage results despite the above mentioned reductions, "but each company has to choose its own strategy, also according to the characteristics of its own plant and of the foliage of the existing trees. By using our technology, we can also reduce manpower hours because, thanks to the higher efficiency, at the end of a working day we can reach to cover exactly twice the surface compared to a conventional sprayer," pointed out Bellettini.
Agriculture 4.0 has also become an important aspect in the field of sprayers. These devices allow operators to remotely control every parameter related to the treatment, through a virtual cloud platform that allows you to visualize all the data on a smartphone, tablet or monitor, including ISOBUS connections, such as the correct dose and treatment parameters, fluid-dynamic parameters, control and regulation of consumption, and for those who want to go further, variable rate distribution management based on prescription maps.
For more information:
Martignani Ing. C. 
Via E. Fermi, 63
Zona Industriale Lugo 1
48020 S.Agata sul Santerno (Ra)
Italy
+39 0545 23077
infoweb@martignani.com
www.martignani.com