Pesticide application horticultural and floricultural farms of Liguria Region: Current situation and results of one year of sprayer inspections

DEIAFA – University of Turin is the co-ordinator of a Project, financed by Liguria Regional Administration, aimed at realising a permanent service of inspections for hand held sprayers that are mainly used in horticultural and floricultural farms.

A preliminary survey was conducted in 160 horticultural and flowers farms to acquire up to date information about the characteristics of knapsack sprayers in use and, more in general, about the management of pesticides. A specific equipment (test benches) to make the inspections was studied and realised and an ad hoc test protocols were prepared on the basis of the indications provided by the national working group leaded by ENAMA (National Board for Agricultural Mechanisation). During the first year of activity, the technicians of four local cooperatives involved in the Project and trained by DEIAFA carried out more than 250 sprayers inspections.

Results pointed out that most of knapsack sprayers used in Liguria region are obsolete, featured by a poor technological level, unsafe for the operator, and generally not conveniently adjusted, as in many cases there is a lack of knowledge about the correct use and calibration of such machines. 25% of the sprayers inspected however presented inconvenient which impede their correct functioning. This result is related to the very simple technology available on these machines and also to the less severe requirements to pass the inspection, in comparison with field crop and air-assisted sprayers.