Tomato crop treatment

Who the project is aimed at

Open-field tomato growers in Baix Llobregat, agricultural technicians and advisors, and professionals involved in improving plant protection management practices in sensitive horticultural areas.

Project objective

To improve the efficiency of phytosanitary treatments in open-field tomato crops, reducing environmental impact and optimising the use of plant protection products, particularly in areas close to sensitive environments such as Baix Llobregat.

Project description

Farmers in the area typically apply products manually using a backpack sprayer and spray gun or, in some cases, an air-assisted cannon sprayer. These techniques often result in uneven coverage and a higher risk of environmental contamination, which is particularly concerning in an area with residential zones and protected natural spaces. As an alternative, spray carts equipped with vertical spray bars and flat-fan nozzles have been introduced. These provide better crop coverage, reduce product volume by up to 20% per hectare, and lower the risk to operators and the environment, while maintaining effectiveness against diseases such as downy mildew and early blight, which are highly prevalent in the area.

This project has demonstrated that using a manual vertical spray bar equipped with flat-fan nozzles is an alternative technique to currently used methods for applying plant protection products. The bar is inexpensive and provides good product coverage on plants, reduces the application volume and the amount of plant protection product used by 20%, and improves disease control.

Project funded by the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Food and the Natural Environment of the Government of Catalonia.