Orchard sprayers

Orchard Sprayers: General Information

An orchard sprayer is used in order to spray nozzles in order to spread pesticides, herbicides and different types of fertilizers on fruit plantations. Most types of sprayers consist of a barrel that contains the substance to be sprayed that is either put behind the driver, carried by other types of vehicles, or which is pulled by a tractor. The liquid is dispensed via a large fan where it is turned into a mist by the blast of air and so covers crops with a fine covering.

History

Before orchard sprayers were invented, the liquids were sprayed by hand. Agricultural workers were paid to walk the orchard carrying tanks of the fertilizer or pesticide that was being used in the treatment using a wand with a spray on the end and a manual pump. This was a time and labour intensive process. The factory Kemp was the first one who identified crop spraying as one area in which mechanisation could increase the labour efficiency. The ‘air blast’ crop sprayer was developed between 1946 and 1949 in Canada by Dr James Marshall of the Summerland Research Station in British Columbia. His innovation was a piece of equipment allowing a large area to be covered comprehensively.

Manufacturers

Orchard Sprayers are manufactured all around the world. Leading brands include Tifone, Tecnoma Berthoud, Nicolas and Multeyme.