Next Article in Journal
Qualitative and Quantitative Plant Screening Measurements for Yield and Quality Enhancement
Previous Article in Journal
A New Approach to Sensible Heat Flux via CFD-Surface Renewal Integration
Previous Article in Special Issue
Evaluation of Spray Performance of Swing-Arm Sprayer on Droplet Deposition on Greenhouse Tomatoes
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Agronomy
Volume 15
Issue 12
10.3390/agronomy15122709
agronomy-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Orchard Variable-Rate Sprayer Using LiDAR-Based Canopy Volume Measurement

by
Chao Zhang
1,
Qiujie Li
2,
Pengcheng Yuan
2 and
Hongping Zhou
2,*
1
College of Intelligent Manufacturing, Anhui Science and Technology University, Chuzhou 233100, China
2
College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Agronomy 2025, 15(12), 2709; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15122709
Submission received: 30 October 2025 / Revised: 22 November 2025 / Accepted: 23 November 2025 / Published: 25 November 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Precision Pesticide Spraying Technology and Equipment)
Versions Notes

Abstract

This study developed and evaluated a LiDAR-based variable-rate orchard sprayer to address the inefficiency of traditional constant-rate application. The system dynamically adjusts pesticide output in real-time using a canopy volume calculation model and an adaptive delayed-spray mechanism, synchronized with LiDAR scans and travel speed. Experimental results demonstrated effective performance: the canopy volume estimation achieved a low overall error of 2.84%, enabling precise spray decision-making. The dosage control system showed an average error of 8.78%, and the adaptive system responded within 160 ms, distinguishing target gaps as small as 75 mm. Deposition tests confirmed uniform coverage within the canopy and minimal drift. The system proves to be a practical solution for significantly reducing pesticide use, operational costs, and environmental impact, marking a substantial advancement in precision orchard management.
Keywords: precision agriculture; variable-rate spraying; LiDAR; canopy volume; target detection precision agriculture; variable-rate spraying; LiDAR; canopy volume; target detection

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Zhang, C.; Li, Q.; Yuan, P.; Zhou, H. Orchard Variable-Rate Sprayer Using LiDAR-Based Canopy Volume Measurement. Agronomy 2025, 15, 2709. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15122709

AMA Style

Zhang C, Li Q, Yuan P, Zhou H. Orchard Variable-Rate Sprayer Using LiDAR-Based Canopy Volume Measurement. Agronomy. 2025; 15(12):2709. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15122709

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhang, Chao, Qiujie Li, Pengcheng Yuan, and Hongping Zhou. 2025. "Orchard Variable-Rate Sprayer Using LiDAR-Based Canopy Volume Measurement" Agronomy 15, no. 12: 2709. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15122709

APA Style

Zhang, C., Li, Q., Yuan, P., & Zhou, H. (2025). Orchard Variable-Rate Sprayer Using LiDAR-Based Canopy Volume Measurement. Agronomy, 15(12), 2709. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15122709

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop