Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.2
3.3
Journals
Agronomy
Special Issues
Novel Studies in High-Performance and Precision Plant Protection Products Application—2nd...
share announcement

Novel Studies in High-Performance and Precision Plant Protection Products Application—2nd Edition

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Precision and Digital Agriculture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 3214

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Changling Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Interests: pesticide application technology; unmanned aerial spraying system (UASS); atomization; droplet; spray deposition; spray drift
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the last 70 years, with the widespread use of Plant Protection Products (PPPs), food quality and human life expectancy have been vastly improved. At the same time, considerable attention has been given to environmental protection, especially to minimise PPPs from polluting water, with emphasis on minimising spray drift from the treated areas. Both manual and high-efficiency sprayers, such as knapsack sprayers, spray guns, boom sprayers, air-blast sprayers, manned fixed-wing aircrafts, manned helicopters, and so on, have been widely applied worldwide in different scenarios. Since the beginning of this decade, agricultural unmanned aerial spraying systems (UASSs) for plant protection, with high flexiblity and mobility, as well as low acquisition and maintenance costs, are growing rapidly as a new tool for PPP application, especially in China and other Asian countries. In addition, both aerial and ground plant protection machines are used in unmanned, precise, and high-performance standardization and informationization. More and more precise application technologies have been proposed and applied with less PPPs being lost in the environment; however, more research is needed so that new technologies can be incorporated to minimise agrochemical use and improve the timing of applications.

In this Special Issue, we aim to focus on any novel studies in theory, system, equipment, technology, and evaluation methods for high-performance and precise PPP utilization. Both research and review articles are welcome.

Dr. Changling Wang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • PPP precision application
  • atomization
  • volatilization
  • spray deposition
  • spray drift
  • control efficacy
  • boom sprayer
  • air-blast sprayer
  • manned agricultural aircraft
  • unmanned aerial spraying system (UASS)

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

19 pages, 4304 KiB  
Article
Design and Performance Evaluation of a Multi-Fluid Swirling Mixing Atomizer for Efficient Generation of Ozonated Droplets in Agricultural Applications
by Xinkang Hu, Bo Zhang, Xiaohong Xu, Zhongwei Chang, Xu Wang and Chundu Wu
Agronomy 2025, 15(5), 1082; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15051082 - 29 Apr 2025
Abstract
With the widespread application of ozone technology in agricultural plant protection, developing an ozonated water atomizer that integrates efficient mixing and precise spraying has been recognized as a significant challenge. Swirling flow is considered a method to enhance hydrodynamics and mass transfer in [...] Read more.
With the widespread application of ozone technology in agricultural plant protection, developing an ozonated water atomizer that integrates efficient mixing and precise spraying has been recognized as a significant challenge. Swirling flow is considered a method to enhance hydrodynamics and mass transfer in gas–liquid mixing. This study innovatively combines an axial nozzle with a swirling mixing chamber, utilizing the negative pressure generated by the high-speed central airflow at the nozzle throat as the driving force for swirling mixing and initial atomization, completing mass transfer and preliminary atomization before the formation of the mist, thereby improving gas–liquid contact and mass transfer efficiency. Through numerical simulations, the impact of geometric parameters at key locations on the internal flow of the atomizer was analyzed. The optimized inlet diameter of the atomizer was found to be 9 mm, with a throat length of 3 mm and a self-priming hole diameter of 1.5 mm. Experimental results on droplet size and ozone droplet concentration verified that at the optimal spraying pressure of 0.6 MPa, a concentration of up to 3.73 mg·L−1 with an average droplet size of 102 µm, evenly distributed, could be generated at a distance of 40 cm from the target. This work provides a technological framework for advancing precision ozone-based plant protection, aligning with global efforts to reduce agrochemical footprints through innovative application systems. It offers theoretical guidance and data support for the development and design of high-efficiency ozone atomizers in agricultural applications, aiming to minimize the use of agricultural chemicals and promote the growth of green plant protection technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Studies in High-Performance and Precision Plant Protection Products Application—2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 3993 KiB  
Article
Modeling the Droplet Size Distribution of Atomizers with Different Cage Diameters for Large-Payload Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
by Jiajun Yang, Longlong Li, Qing Tang, Peng Hu, Wenlong Yan and Ruirui Zhang
Agronomy 2025, 15(3), 647; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15030647 - 4 Mar 2025
Viewed by 543
Abstract
Spraying drift is a key concern in aerial spraying and relates closely to droplet size. With the growing application of large-load UAVs, large-load plant protection UAVs lack corresponding spraying devices. The rotary cage atomizer, suitable for high-flow aerial spraying, is a better option [...] Read more.
Spraying drift is a key concern in aerial spraying and relates closely to droplet size. With the growing application of large-load UAVs, large-load plant protection UAVs lack corresponding spraying devices. The rotary cage atomizer, suitable for high-flow aerial spraying, is a better option for large-load plant protection UAVs’ spraying needs. A modified rotating cage atomizer based on the AU5000 atomizer in manned aircraft was designed, with cage diameters of 76 mm, 86 mm, 96 mm, 106 mm, and 116 mm. Based on the IEA-I high-speed wind tunnel, this study investigated the impacts of different wind speeds, flow rates, and cage diameters on the atomization characteristic distribution of the modified atomizer and established a model. The results show that when other variables remain constant, for every 1 mm increase in cage diameter, the average droplet size decreases by 0.944 μm. The R2 of the predicted values and the measured values of the droplet size model is 0.917. Under the conditions of 50 m/s, 58.3 m/s, and 66.6 m/s wind speeds, as the cage diameter increases, Relative Span (RS) shows a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. Among them, the RS of the 106 mm cage diameter is usually the highest. This study can provide a reference for the aerial spraying scheme of large-payload plant protection UAVs, such as the selection of the diameter of the rotating cage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Studies in High-Performance and Precision Plant Protection Products Application—2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 11057 KiB  
Article
Deep Learning-Assisted Measurement of Liquid Sheet Structure in the Atomization of Hydraulic Nozzle Spraying
by Wenlong Yan, Longlong Li, Jianli Song, Peng Hu, Gang Xu, Qiangjia Wu, Ruirui Zhang and Liping Chen
Agronomy 2025, 15(2), 409; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15020409 - 6 Feb 2025
Viewed by 630
Abstract
The structural parameters of the liquid sheet represent a significant factor influencing the atomization performance, and its measurement is an important part of the agrochemical atomization study. Currently, the measurement predominantly relies on commercial software with manual operation, which is labor intensive and [...] Read more.
The structural parameters of the liquid sheet represent a significant factor influencing the atomization performance, and its measurement is an important part of the agrochemical atomization study. Currently, the measurement predominantly relies on commercial software with manual operation, which is labor intensive and inefficient. In this study, deep learning methods with high-speed photographing were employed to measure the structural parameters of the liquid sheet of hydraulic nozzles with different atomization modes. The LM-YOLO liquid sheet structure recognition model was constructed to recognize the liquid sheet and perforations. Based on the recognition results, a method is designed to calculate several key parameters, including the breakup length, the liquid sheet area, the spray angle, the average number of perforations, and the average perforation area. A comparative scrutiny of the assorted liquid sheet structural parameters under different experimental conditions was also implemented. Based on the constructed model, a recognition accuracy of 81.0% for the liquid sheet structure of the LU nozzle (a classical hydraulic nozzle with high liquid sheet integrity) and 71.3% for the IDK nozzle (an air-induced hydraulic nozzle with a certain amount of bubbles in the liquid sheet) was achieved. The liquid sheet structure was measured based on the recognition results. It was found that the pressure has a significant impact on the structural parameters of the liquid film. For the LU120-03 nozzle, the breakup length of the liquid film decreases from 48.96 mm to 39.05 mm as the pressure increases. In contrast, for the IDK120-03 nozzle, the breakup length exhibits fluctuating changes, with a peak value of 29.65 mm occurring at 250 kPa. After adding silicone adjuvant, the breakup length and area of the liquid film generally decrease. The variation trends of the measured structural parameters under different experimental conditions are consistent with the trends of the data in previous relevant research by other scholars. This study provides a new method for measuring out the structural parameters of the liquid sheet, and it has potential application in related fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Studies in High-Performance and Precision Plant Protection Products Application—2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 5952 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Spray Drift from an Electric Boom Sprayer: Impact of Boom Height and Nozzle Type
by Xiaoyong Pan, Shuo Yang, Yuanyuan Gao, Zhichong Wang, Changyuan Zhai and Wei Qiu
Agronomy 2025, 15(1), 160; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15010160 - 10 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 738
Abstract
In the Huang-Huai-Hai region of China, the instability of electric boom sprayers has prompted many farmers to raise the boom height to improve clearance. However, the drift risks associated with these conditions remain poorly assessed. This study investigated two key factors influencing drift: [...] Read more.
In the Huang-Huai-Hai region of China, the instability of electric boom sprayers has prompted many farmers to raise the boom height to improve clearance. However, the drift risks associated with these conditions remain poorly assessed. This study investigated two key factors influencing drift: boom height and nozzle type. The standard LI CHENG VP11003 nozzle was compared to the Teejet XR11003 nozzle, and droplet size and velocity were measured at various boom heights. The results showed that, at the same boom height, the LI CHENG nozzle produced droplets with an average D[V, 0.5] 14.6 µm larger (8.13%), an average velocity 0.53 m/s lower (29.26%), and a relative span (RS) value 0.05 higher (4.52%) compared to the Teejet nozzle. Drift tests were performed under field conditions using a spray drift test bench. The results showed that the total drift amount per unit area (TDA) for the LI CHENG nozzle showed minimal variation at boom heights of 0.4–0.6 m (Stage 1), 0.7–0.9 m (Stage 2), and 1.0–1.2 m (Stage 3). The drift potential of the LI CHENG VP11003 nozzle increased by 136.62% in Stage 2 and 282.69% in Stage 3, relative to Stage 1. Similarly, the Teejet XR11003 nozzle showed increases of 30.52% and 165.51% in Stages 2 and 3, respectively. The results showed that the LICHENG nozzle, which is the standard equipment on the sprayer, can only be used to moderately increase the boom height to improve the sprayer’s clearance within the range of the first stage. When the boom height exceeds this range, the drift risk becomes too high. This study provides meaningful insights into enhancing drift control and developing application strategies for growers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Studies in High-Performance and Precision Plant Protection Products Application—2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 10595 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Airflow-Assisted Parameters on Droplet Deposition on Soybean Leaves at the V7 Growth Stage
by Yuefu Guo, Hao Wang, Wenfeng Sun, Yongli Sun, Rui Xing, Kaige Zhang, Xiaocheng Fang, Bin Sui and Jiehao Xu
Agronomy 2025, 15(1), 141; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15010141 - 8 Jan 2025
Viewed by 754
Abstract
In agricultural production, the underside of crop leaves and the middle-lower canopy are key areas where pests and diseases typically develop at early stages. Increasing droplet deposition in these critical regions is essential for improving pesticide efficacy and crop yield. This study aims [...] Read more.
In agricultural production, the underside of crop leaves and the middle-lower canopy are key areas where pests and diseases typically develop at early stages. Increasing droplet deposition in these critical regions is essential for improving pesticide efficacy and crop yield. This study aims to optimize airflow-assisted parameters to enhance spray operation quality. By extracting the physical characteristics of soybean leaves at the V7 growth stage and conducting theoretical analysis, the study explored the factors influencing leaf orientation and droplet deposition, as well as the coupling relationship between these two aspects. A one-way fluid–structure coupling model was established using COMSOL software 6.1 to simulate the interaction between airflow and soybean leaves. The simulation results showed that airflow caused 71.1% of upper leaves, 66.7% of middle leaves, and 43.3% of lower leaves to have a flipping angle greater than 10°, with most flipped leaves (61.9%) concentrated on the windward side. Using droplet deposition on the middle-lower canopy and the underside of leaves as evaluation indices, a numerical simulation orthogonal experiment was conducted. The results indicated that the optimal operational parameters were an initial airflow speed of 20 m/s, an outlet-to-canopy distance of 0.45 m, and a forward airflow deflection angle of 32°. This optimal parameter combination improved droplet deposition. Field experiments confirmed these results, showing that compared to the spraying without optimization, droplet deposition on the lower and middle canopy and the underside of the leaves increased by 2.1 times and 2.3 times, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Studies in High-Performance and Precision Plant Protection Products Application—2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop