AI increasingly present in vineyards: the first “smart” sprayer patented

Precision viticulture takes a decisive step towards total automation: the first “smart” sprayer has been patented, capable of reducing the use of plant protection products by up to 73%, intervening only where really necessary. The innovative project, funded by the Barbera d'Asti and Vini del Monferrato Consortium and carried out in collaboration with the University of Turin, was coordinated by engineer Giancarlo Spezia, owner of Tecnovict, the company that developed the technology, and implemented by Dragone Srl. Ferraris Agricola, in Monferrato, will be the first to test it in the field. Equipped with advanced sensors and managed by an image interpretation system, the atomizer, thanks to AI (artificial intelligence), is able to analyze vegetation density in real time and automatically adjust the delivery of treatments. The nozzles open and close in a tenth of a second, ensuring extremely targeted interventions.
“The Consortium played an active and concrete role in this project”, says Vitaliano Maccario, President of the Barbera d’Asti and Vini del Monferrato Consortium. “We are proud to have been the pioneers of a forward-looking and original initiative that contributes to the development of a major innovation in viticulture. The project to industrialize the atomizer is consistent with strategies aimed at developing innovative solutions for sustainability in agriculture”.
“I am proud to be the first to use this technology in the vineyard”, says Luca Ferraris, owner of the company. “Ferraris Agricola has always invested in innovation: over the years, we have chosen to invest constantly in technology as a strategic lever to improve the sustainability, efficiency, and quality of our work. This atomizer is concrete proof that tradition and innovation can go hand in hand”. The environmental and economic benefits are numerous, from a drastic reduction in the dispersion of plant protection products to significant savings in treatment costs.
A notable advantage is the small size of the atomizer, which allows it to be used even in the vineyards of Langhe and Monferrato, where space is often limited. Furthermore, the higher cost compared to conventional models is amortized by the company in two years.
“In 2030, the EU is calling for a 50% reduction in the use of plant protection products, but so far there has not been much research in this area”, adds Giancarlo Spezia, owner of Tecnovict. “This sprayer is a concrete step in this direction, which we hope will be followed by many others soon. The French still lack this distribution technology, which we have optimized for vineyards, and the prestigious University of Burgundy in Dijon has asked us to collaborate with them in the coming years”.
The importance and innovativeness of the project have already attracted the attention of the OIV (Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin), which has requested further technical details: recognition that confirms the pioneering value of this solution made in Monferrato.