DOSAVIÑA Project: Optimization of the use of plant protection products for distribution in trellis vines
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July 23, 2018The Agricultural Machinery Unit of the UPC has just released DOSAVIÑA, an application for grape producers. It is a tool that allows the optimal volume rate for pesticide spray application and the amount of pesticide in trellis vines to be determined.
The DOSAVIÑA application, created by the Agricultural Machinery Unit (UMA) of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), also provides a practical guide for farmers to select suitable working parameters (such as forward speed, pressure, and nozzles). It has been developed for IOS and ANDROID operating systems and is available in five languages and two measurement systems (the International System and US-Imperial), to facilitate its widespread use in the main grape-growing regions of the world.
The use of DOSAVIÑA is based on the structural characteristics of the plantation and the type of machinery. As the UMA has demonstrated scientifically, it can be used to adapt the amount of pesticide to the plant, and reduce the risk of associated contamination, in line with the provisions established in the European Directive to Achieve Sustainable Use of Pesticides. The tool is also available in web format at: https://dosavina.upc.edu
The app has been tested in the following areas: DO Penedès, DO Costers del Segre, DO La Mancha, DO Rioja, the grape-growing region of Finger Lakes (New York, USA) and Sardinia (Italy). It is currently being tested in other areas.
The Agricultural Machinery Unit (UMA) of the UPC is associated with the Barcelona School of Agricultural Engineering (ESAB), located on the Baix Llobregat Campus in Castelldefels. It is a research and knowledge transfer group focused on agricultural machinery, with extensive experience in the technology of applying plant protection products. It has undertaken several studies on the efficiency of pesticide application equipment, the analysis of techniques developed in the field of precision agriculture, and the design of new systems for optimising treatments. This research is mainly focused on grape vines, fruit trees, and vegetable crops.
The group is currently leading two European projects in the Horizon 2020 programme that are focused on the same subject. In addition, in the area of training and knowledge transfer, it is coordinating an ERASMUS+ project on precision agriculture.
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