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Dr. Marcello Biocca
CREA - Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Engineering and Agro-Food Processing

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0 Agricultural Engineering
0 Crop Protection
0 Safety
0 Urban Forestry
0 Dust drift

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Journal article
Published: 16 June 2021 in AgriEngineering
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At the CREA research facility of Treviglio (Bergamo, Italy), to provide farmers with valuable hints for the transition from conventional to precision agriculture, information on crop production dynamics (Maize and Triticale) has been obtained using real-time soil mapping (resistivity technique) and production quality and quantity monitoring with a commercial yield mapping apparatus. The geostatistical processing of data resulted in the same zoning for Triticale, meaning that the characteristics of soil influenced crop behavior more than the variability resulting from other factors, which suggests that improvements in product yields can be planned and achieved acting, for instance, on variable rate distribution of fertilizers. The importance of the acquired data can help farmers to manage factors that are external to their plots of land.

ACS Style

Massimo Brambilla; Elio Romano; Pietro Toscano; Maurizio Cutini; Marcello Biocca; Chiara Ferré; Roberto Comolli; Carlo Bisaglia. From Conventional to Precision Fertilization: A Case Study on the Transition for a Small-Medium Farm. AgriEngineering 2021, 3, 438 -446.

AMA Style

Massimo Brambilla, Elio Romano, Pietro Toscano, Maurizio Cutini, Marcello Biocca, Chiara Ferré, Roberto Comolli, Carlo Bisaglia. From Conventional to Precision Fertilization: A Case Study on the Transition for a Small-Medium Farm. AgriEngineering. 2021; 3 (2):438-446.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Massimo Brambilla; Elio Romano; Pietro Toscano; Maurizio Cutini; Marcello Biocca; Chiara Ferré; Roberto Comolli; Carlo Bisaglia. 2021. "From Conventional to Precision Fertilization: A Case Study on the Transition for a Small-Medium Farm." AgriEngineering 3, no. 2: 438-446.

Journal article
Published: 14 April 2021 in AgriEngineering
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Spraying pesticides using air induction nozzles is a well-known method to reduce drift. These drift-reducing nozzles have been tested on many different tree crops (such as apples, citrus, and grapes), but we are still lacking information on their utilization on hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) groves, although hazelnut is a major nut crop in Italy, and in recent years its cultivated area has been constantly growing. This paper reports a comparison between treatments carried out with cone and flat-fan low-drift nozzles versus two conventional nozzles. The distribution quality, the number of droplets per cm2 of the target area, and the drift in non-target trees adjacent to those treated were evaluated by analyzing the impact of the droplets on water-sensitive papers placed on the tree canopies. The results show that because no significative differences in terms of application quality were found between the tested nozzles, low-drift nozzles can be a good alternative to the standard nozzles to reduce the drift of pesticide applications in hazelnuts without altering the chosen distribution of the pesticide.

ACS Style

Marcello Biocca; Maurizio Cutini; Elio Romano; Federico Pallottino; Pietro Gallo. Evaluation of Drift-Reducing Nozzles for Pesticide Application in Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.). AgriEngineering 2021, 3, 230 -239.

AMA Style

Marcello Biocca, Maurizio Cutini, Elio Romano, Federico Pallottino, Pietro Gallo. Evaluation of Drift-Reducing Nozzles for Pesticide Application in Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.). AgriEngineering. 2021; 3 (2):230-239.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marcello Biocca; Maurizio Cutini; Elio Romano; Federico Pallottino; Pietro Gallo. 2021. "Evaluation of Drift-Reducing Nozzles for Pesticide Application in Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.)." AgriEngineering 3, no. 2: 230-239.

Conference paper
Published: 11 November 2020 in Proceedings of The 1st International Electronic Conference on Forests — Forests for a Better Future: Sustainability, Innovation, Interdisciplinarity
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The Italian Stone Pine (Pinus pinea L.) is one of the most employed ornamental trees in towns with Mediterranean climates. For example, in the city of Rome, Pinus is the most common genus, with more than 51,000 trees. Due to numerous reasons, the maintenance of this species may constitute a serious issue for the owners. Pruning and felling are the most frequent management operations of trees in towns and this study analyzes the technical and economic features of these operations carried out in 14 work sites (with a total of 25 observed trees). The operations were carried out either with aerial platforms (19 trees) or ascending the crown by tree-climbing (six trees). The operations were sampled with time studies (12 trees for pruning and 13 for felling). Work time was measured from the beginning of operations to the transport of the residual biomass to the collection and loading point, using centesimal stopwatches and video recording. The total residual biomass was weighed or assessed. Total observation time amounted to 63.1 h. The evaluation of the costs of each work site considered the fixed and the variable costs and the costs for the labor force. A multiple linear regression modeling was adopted to predict the gross time of the operations. This paper can contribute to optimize tree maintenance methods in urban sites and to assess the potential residual wood biomass attainable from urban forestry maintenance.

ACS Style

Marcello Biocca; Pietro Gallo; Giulio Sperandio. Technical and Economic Aspects of Stone Pine (Pinus pinea L.) Maintenance in Urban Environments. Proceedings of The 1st International Electronic Conference on Forests — Forests for a Better Future: Sustainability, Innovation, Interdisciplinarity 2020, 3, 16 .

AMA Style

Marcello Biocca, Pietro Gallo, Giulio Sperandio. Technical and Economic Aspects of Stone Pine (Pinus pinea L.) Maintenance in Urban Environments. Proceedings of The 1st International Electronic Conference on Forests — Forests for a Better Future: Sustainability, Innovation, Interdisciplinarity. 2020; 3 (1):16.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marcello Biocca; Pietro Gallo; Giulio Sperandio. 2020. "Technical and Economic Aspects of Stone Pine (Pinus pinea L.) Maintenance in Urban Environments." Proceedings of The 1st International Electronic Conference on Forests — Forests for a Better Future: Sustainability, Innovation, Interdisciplinarity 3, no. 1: 16.

Proceedings
Published: 11 November 2020 in Environmental Sciences Proceedings
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The techniques funded for rope-based access to the tree canopy (the so-called tree climbing) have been spreading in recent years. A variety of practices, such as pruning, felling of trees, cabling, phytosanitary inspections, and others, can be carried out using these techniques, and the methods allow one to operate on trees placed in any location, proving extremely suitable for maintaining trees grown in an urban environment. In Italy, the number of arborists operating with a rope on trees is increasing significantly. They are usually highly specialized professionals, and they use specific techniques and materials. Despite the diffusion of these techniques in modern arboriculture, it is not easy to find sound ad updated information and data on them. In this work, based mainly on the answers obtained from a specific questionnaire addressed to 86 Italian professional climbers, some aspects of the applied techniques were reported. The paper shows data on professional training and formation, on the work organization, and on the utilized materials and equipment. In general, a large variety of situations are reported, a result probably linked to the fast growth of the sector in the past years.

ACS Style

Leonardo Bianchini; Massimo Cecchini; Pietro Gallo; Marcello Biocca. A Survey on Rope-Based Ascending Techniques and Materials of Professional Arborists in Italy. Environmental Sciences Proceedings 2020, 3, 23 .

AMA Style

Leonardo Bianchini, Massimo Cecchini, Pietro Gallo, Marcello Biocca. A Survey on Rope-Based Ascending Techniques and Materials of Professional Arborists in Italy. Environmental Sciences Proceedings. 2020; 3 (1):23.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Leonardo Bianchini; Massimo Cecchini; Pietro Gallo; Marcello Biocca. 2020. "A Survey on Rope-Based Ascending Techniques and Materials of Professional Arborists in Italy." Environmental Sciences Proceedings 3, no. 1: 23.

Conference paper
Published: 20 March 2020 in Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering
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In recent years, the techniques based on access to the tree canopy with ropes (the so-called tree-climbing), have been spreading in Italy. This study evaluated the productivity and costs of tree pruning operated by professional climbing arborists. Overall, seven work sites were sampled with time studies. Work time was measured for every single phase from the beginning of pruning operations to the transport of the residual biomass to the collection and loading point, using centesimal stopwatches and video recording. Total observation time amounted to 27.78 h. The work time analysis showed that the pruning entails the main work time (about 42% of the gross time) followed by the time for setting the yards and stacking the residual wood (26%). The evaluation of the costs of each work site considered the fixed and the variable costs and the costs for the labor force. The results showed that the average gross time of the work sites was 6 h Mg−1, with average productivity of 0.19 Mg h−1 and an average cost of 173 € tree−1. A Multiple Linear Regression modelling was adopted to predict the cost for pruning. The regression analysis provided five regressors (easily to measure) that are capable to predict the cost per tree. They were: (1) tree diameter; (2) tree height; (3) distance to the residual biomass collection point; (4) number of operators: (5) hourly cost. This paper can contribute to optimize trees maintenance methods in urban sites using tree-climbing methods.

ACS Style

M. Biocca; P. Gallo; G. Sperandio. Technical and Economic Evaluation of Urban Trees Pruning by Climbing Arborists. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering 2020, 653 -660.

AMA Style

M. Biocca, P. Gallo, G. Sperandio. Technical and Economic Evaluation of Urban Trees Pruning by Climbing Arborists. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering. 2020; ():653-660.

Chicago/Turabian Style

M. Biocca; P. Gallo; G. Sperandio. 2020. "Technical and Economic Evaluation of Urban Trees Pruning by Climbing Arborists." Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering , no. : 653-660.

Journal article
Published: 10 September 2019 in Journal of Agricultural Engineering
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During the past few decades, urban areas have experienced increasing environmental stress. Noise is considered as one of the most important sources of urban pollution with adverse effects on human health. Urban vegetation provides many ecosystem services including the reduction of noise pollution. Hedges are widespread in cities and have the peculiarity of being often grown close to the source of noise. The study investigated the noise reduction due to hedges of Prunus laurocerasus and Laurus nobilis and the effect of the vegetation on sound spectra. Four different trials were carried out, including the use of two different noise sources and the measurement of noise at different distances both from the green barrier and from the noise source. During one trial, the influence of the type of ground surfaces between the noise source and the receiver was also evaluated. In the three trials where a significant attenuation of the noise occurred, the porosity of hedges measured less than 4.6% and an average noise reduction of about 2.7 dB(A) (max 7.0 dB(A)) was observed. This effect was particularly relevant in the range of higher frequencies (between 2 and 20 kHz). This study can contribute to plan and design hedges in the urban context.

ACS Style

Marcello Biocca; Pietro Gallo; Giuseppina Di Loreto; Giancarlo Imperi; Daniele Pochi; Laura Fornaciari. Noise attenuation provided by hedges. Journal of Agricultural Engineering 2019, 50, 113 -119.

AMA Style

Marcello Biocca, Pietro Gallo, Giuseppina Di Loreto, Giancarlo Imperi, Daniele Pochi, Laura Fornaciari. Noise attenuation provided by hedges. Journal of Agricultural Engineering. 2019; 50 (3):113-119.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marcello Biocca; Pietro Gallo; Giuseppina Di Loreto; Giancarlo Imperi; Daniele Pochi; Laura Fornaciari. 2019. "Noise attenuation provided by hedges." Journal of Agricultural Engineering 50, no. 3: 113-119.

Article
Published: 17 March 2018 in Precision Agriculture
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The relevance of precision agriculture produced a growth of the related literature over the years. However, a structured analysis of the published material is still missing. Thus, this study attempts to analyze the global scientific output of precision agriculture researches published during the period 2000–2016. By using a science mapping approach, mainly based on the application of network analysis tools, it was possible to investigate pivotal aspects of this research field such as publication trends, research topics and their geographical distribution. Using the Scopus database 17,756 scientific publications were retrieved from the chosen period. The number of publications increased after 2006, highlighting the vibrancy of the field. By authoring 35% of the publications, U.S.A. and China were the most active knowledge producer countries. Moreover, the generation of time resolved maps allowed us to identify agriculture engineering, computer science and agriculture studies as three main research areas characterizing precision agriculture panorama. The paper discusses the distribution of these topics at global level, among European countries and in Italy. Overall, this analysis represents the first holistic view of precision agriculture research providing valuable information for farmers, policy makers and researchers.

ACS Style

Federico Pallottino; Marcello Biocca; Pierfrancesco Nardi; Simone Figorilli; Paolo Menesatti; Corrado Costa. Science mapping approach to analyze the research evolution on precision agriculture: world, EU and Italian situation. Precision Agriculture 2018, 19, 1011 -1026.

AMA Style

Federico Pallottino, Marcello Biocca, Pierfrancesco Nardi, Simone Figorilli, Paolo Menesatti, Corrado Costa. Science mapping approach to analyze the research evolution on precision agriculture: world, EU and Italian situation. Precision Agriculture. 2018; 19 (6):1011-1026.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Federico Pallottino; Marcello Biocca; Pierfrancesco Nardi; Simone Figorilli; Paolo Menesatti; Corrado Costa. 2018. "Science mapping approach to analyze the research evolution on precision agriculture: world, EU and Italian situation." Precision Agriculture 19, no. 6: 1011-1026.

Evaluation study
Published: 24 October 2016 in Pest Management Science
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BACKGROUNDThe pneumatic precision drills used in maize sowing can release dust owing to abrasion of dressed seed; the drift of dust containing insecticide active ingredients is harmful to honey bees. Therefore, we developed a device for drills that uses partial recirculation and filtration of the air by means of an antipollen and an electrostatic filter.RESULTSTests were carried out by simulating the sowing of seed treated with imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin and fipronil. Dust released by the drill in different configurations was analysed to assess its mass and active ingredient concentration, size distribution and particle number concentration. In general, particles with a diameter smaller than 2.5 and 10 µm represent about 40 and 75% of the total dust mass respectively. The finest size fraction (<1 µm) contains a higher content of active ingredient. The prototype equipped with both antipollen and electrostatic filters always showed a reduction in dust emission greater than 90% in terms of both total mass and active ingredient amount, with a greater efficiency in the reduction in particles below 4 µm.CONCLUSIONThis study presents an engineering solution addressing dust losses during sowing, contributes to the description of abrasion dust fractions and provides suggestions for further development of the prototype. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry

ACS Style

Marcello Biocca; Daniele Pochi; Roberto Fanigliulo; Pietro Gallo; Patrizio Pulcini; Francesca Marcovecchio; Cinzia Perrino. Evaluating a filtering and recirculating system to reduce dust drift in simulated sowing of dressed seed and abraded dust particle characteristics. Pest Management Science 2016, 73, 1134 -1142.

AMA Style

Marcello Biocca, Daniele Pochi, Roberto Fanigliulo, Pietro Gallo, Patrizio Pulcini, Francesca Marcovecchio, Cinzia Perrino. Evaluating a filtering and recirculating system to reduce dust drift in simulated sowing of dressed seed and abraded dust particle characteristics. Pest Management Science. 2016; 73 (6):1134-1142.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marcello Biocca; Daniele Pochi; Roberto Fanigliulo; Pietro Gallo; Patrizio Pulcini; Francesca Marcovecchio; Cinzia Perrino. 2016. "Evaluating a filtering and recirculating system to reduce dust drift in simulated sowing of dressed seed and abraded dust particle characteristics." Pest Management Science 73, no. 6: 1134-1142.

Journal article
Published: 29 September 2016 in Journal of Agricultural Engineering
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The use of agricultural machinery represents the main aspect contributing to the total energy input in the agricultural system. The study evaluated the energy requirements and the work quality of two conventional (threefurrow plough and spading machine) and of four conservation implements (rotary harrow, subsoiler, disk harrow, combined cultivator) for mediumdeep primary tillage in a silty-clay soil, widespread in Central Italy. The tests were carried out with the aim of selecting the most energy-efficient implement. Working speed, force of traction, fuel consumption and energy demands were measured, using a 205 kW instrumented tractor. Cloddiness and roughness of the tilled soil, biomass coverage index and burying degree were evaluated. The conservation tillage implements gave the best results in fuel consumption and energy requirements respect to the conventional implements, with energy savings up to 86% in the case of disk harrow. The rotary harrow showed intermediate values and the best soil refinement. Among the conservation implements, the disk harrow showed the best performance on biomass coverage index (43.8%), while the combined cultivator showed the highest value of biomass burying (87.8%) and the best performance on fuel consumption per hour (25.8 kg h–1).

ACS Style

Roberto Fanigliulo; Marcello Biocca; Daniele Pochi. Effects of six primary tillage implements on energy inputs and residue cover in Central Italy. Journal of Agricultural Engineering 2016, 47, 177 -180.

AMA Style

Roberto Fanigliulo, Marcello Biocca, Daniele Pochi. Effects of six primary tillage implements on energy inputs and residue cover in Central Italy. Journal of Agricultural Engineering. 2016; 47 (3):177-180.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Roberto Fanigliulo; Marcello Biocca; Daniele Pochi. 2016. "Effects of six primary tillage implements on energy inputs and residue cover in Central Italy." Journal of Agricultural Engineering 47, no. 3: 177-180.

Journal article
Published: 01 August 2015 in Crop Protection
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ACS Style

Daniele Pochi; Marcello Biocca; Roberto Fanigliulo; Pietro Gallo; Marco Fedrizzi; Patrizio Pulcini; Cinzia Perrino; Francesca Marcovecchio. A device for pneumatic precision drills reducing the drift of the abrasion dust from dressed seed. Crop Protection 2015, 74, 56 -64.

AMA Style

Daniele Pochi, Marcello Biocca, Roberto Fanigliulo, Pietro Gallo, Marco Fedrizzi, Patrizio Pulcini, Cinzia Perrino, Francesca Marcovecchio. A device for pneumatic precision drills reducing the drift of the abrasion dust from dressed seed. Crop Protection. 2015; 74 ():56-64.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Daniele Pochi; Marcello Biocca; Roberto Fanigliulo; Pietro Gallo; Marco Fedrizzi; Patrizio Pulcini; Cinzia Perrino; Francesca Marcovecchio. 2015. "A device for pneumatic precision drills reducing the drift of the abrasion dust from dressed seed." Crop Protection 74, no. : 56-64.

Journal article
Published: 06 May 2015 in The Open Agriculture Journal
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Dust Emissions During the Sowing of Maize Dressed Seeds and Drift Reducing Devices

ACS Style

Marcello Biocca; Daniele Pochi; Roberto Fanigliulo; Pietro Gallo. Dust Emissions During the Sowing of Maize Dressed Seeds and Drift Reducing Devices. The Open Agriculture Journal 2015, 9, 42 -47.

AMA Style

Marcello Biocca, Daniele Pochi, Roberto Fanigliulo, Pietro Gallo. Dust Emissions During the Sowing of Maize Dressed Seeds and Drift Reducing Devices. The Open Agriculture Journal. 2015; 9 (1):42-47.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marcello Biocca; Daniele Pochi; Roberto Fanigliulo; Pietro Gallo. 2015. "Dust Emissions During the Sowing of Maize Dressed Seeds and Drift Reducing Devices." The Open Agriculture Journal 9, no. 1: 42-47.

Journal article
Published: 01 May 2015 in Crop Protection
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ACS Style

Marcello Biocca; Roberto Fanigliulo; Pietro Gallo; Patrizio Pulcini; Daniele Pochi. The assessment of dust drift from pneumatic drills using static tests and in-field validation. Crop Protection 2015, 71, 109 -115.

AMA Style

Marcello Biocca, Roberto Fanigliulo, Pietro Gallo, Patrizio Pulcini, Daniele Pochi. The assessment of dust drift from pneumatic drills using static tests and in-field validation. Crop Protection. 2015; 71 ():109-115.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marcello Biocca; Roberto Fanigliulo; Pietro Gallo; Patrizio Pulcini; Daniele Pochi. 2015. "The assessment of dust drift from pneumatic drills using static tests and in-field validation." Crop Protection 71, no. : 109-115.

Journal article
Published: 27 June 2014 in The Open Agriculture Journal
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ACS Style

Marcello Biocca; Pietro Gallo. Comparison between Horizontal and Vertical Lamellate Patternators for Air-blast Sprayers. The Open Agriculture Journal 2014, 8, 12 -17.

AMA Style

Marcello Biocca, Pietro Gallo. Comparison between Horizontal and Vertical Lamellate Patternators for Air-blast Sprayers. The Open Agriculture Journal. 2014; 8 (1):12-17.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marcello Biocca; Pietro Gallo. 2014. "Comparison between Horizontal and Vertical Lamellate Patternators for Air-blast Sprayers." The Open Agriculture Journal 8, no. 1: 12-17.

Journal article
Published: 08 September 2013 in Journal of Agricultural Engineering
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Agricultural fertilisers are generally applied by means of centrifugal disk spreaders. The machinery, the working conditions and the physical characteristics of fertilizers (including the aerodynamic characteristics of particles) may affect the behaviour of particles after the discarding from the spreader. We investigated the aerodynamic properties of organo-mineral fertilisers (a class of slow release fertilisers that are less investigated since they are relatively new in the market) using a vertical wind tunnel similar to an elutriator. In the same time, the morphological characteristics of individual fertilizer particles were measured by means of an image analysis procedure. In the study we compare six different fertilisers and we discuss the suitability of the employed methods. The results provide the terminal velocity – Vt – (the velocity value that overcome the gravity force of the particles) of the particles, ranging from 8.60 to 9.55 m s-1, and the relationships between Vt and some physical properties (mass, shape, dimensions) of the fertilizers. Moreover, the results of field distribution trials show the behaviour of the tested fertilizers during practical use. Such data can contribute to enhance the quality of application of these products in field.

ACS Style

Marcello Biocca; Pietro Gallo; Paolo Menesatti. Aerodynamic properties of six organo-mineral fertiliser particles. Journal of Agricultural Engineering 2013, 44, 1 .

AMA Style

Marcello Biocca, Pietro Gallo, Paolo Menesatti. Aerodynamic properties of six organo-mineral fertiliser particles. Journal of Agricultural Engineering. 2013; 44 (2):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marcello Biocca; Pietro Gallo; Paolo Menesatti. 2013. "Aerodynamic properties of six organo-mineral fertiliser particles." Journal of Agricultural Engineering 44, no. 2: 1.

Journal article
Published: 08 September 2013 in Journal of Agricultural Engineering
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Neonicotinoid insecticides (imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam) and fipronil for maize (Zea mays L.) seed dressing have been claimed to play a role in honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) decline, since pneumatic precision drills used for sowing contribute to the dispersion of the abrasion dust produced by dressed seeds. The active ingredients (a.i.) can contaminate the environment and can lead to the exposure of operators and bystanders during sowing operations. To achieve a significant reduction of dust drift and to enhance the safety for the operators, CRA-ING studied and developed novel engineering solutions applicable to drills, based on an air-recycling/filtering system. In the first system, the air’s excess is forced outward through suitable filters placed on the modified lid of the seed hopper. It can be easily applied to commercial drills in use. The second system was specifically designed for new drills. It consists of a collector duct that receives the air expelled from the vacuum fan opening, creating constant pressure conditions. Part of the air is recycled into the seed hoppers, as the air in excess is directed outward through a single main filter. A third system, based on the second one, entails the use of an electrostatic filter to improve its efficiency. Moreover, to avoid the operator’s exposure to the dust during the seed loading, we show an integrated solution based on the use of a modified pre-charged plastic container that replace the drill’s hoppers. Preliminary tests ascertained the regular seed distribution with the drills equipped with the prototypes. Then, trials were carried out at fixed point and in field, for detecting the amounts of the drifted a.i., using commercial maize seed dressed with thiamethoxam, imidacloprid, clothianidin and fipronil. The test results show powder and a.i. drift reductions up to a maximum of 94.5% measured at ground level (with fipronil as a.i.) as a consequence of the use of the prototypes.

ACS Style

D. Pochi; G. Brannetti; R. Fanigliulo; P. Gallo; R. Grilli; S. Montanari; M. Biocca; P. Pulcini. Engineering solutions applied to pneumatic drills to reduce losses of dust from dressed seeds. Journal of Agricultural Engineering 2013, 44, 1 .

AMA Style

D. Pochi, G. Brannetti, R. Fanigliulo, P. Gallo, R. Grilli, S. Montanari, M. Biocca, P. Pulcini. Engineering solutions applied to pneumatic drills to reduce losses of dust from dressed seeds. Journal of Agricultural Engineering. 2013; 44 (2):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

D. Pochi; G. Brannetti; R. Fanigliulo; P. Gallo; R. Grilli; S. Montanari; M. Biocca; P. Pulcini. 2013. "Engineering solutions applied to pneumatic drills to reduce losses of dust from dressed seeds." Journal of Agricultural Engineering 44, no. 2: 1.

Journal article
Published: 06 September 2013 in Journal of Agricultural Engineering
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Agricultural fertilisers are generally applied by means of centrifugal disk spreaders. The machinery, the working conditions and the physical characteristics of fertilizers (including the aerodynamic characteristics of particles) may affect the behaviour of particles after the discarding from the spreader. We investigated the aerodynamic properties of organo-mineral fertilisers (a class of slow release fertilisers that are less investigated since they are relatively new in the market) using a vertical wind tunnel similar to an elutriator. In the same time, the morphological characteristics of individual fertilizer particles were measured by means of an image analysis procedure. In the study we compare six different fertilisers and we discuss the suitability of the employed methods. The results provide the terminal velocity – Vt – (the velocity value that overcome the gravity force of the particles) of the particles, ranging from 8.60 to 9.55 m s-1, and the relationships between Vt and some physical properties (mass, shape, dimensions) of the fertilizers. Moreover, the results of field distribution trials show the behaviour of the tested fertilizers during practical use. Such data can contribute to enhance the quality of application of these products in field.

ACS Style

Marcello Biocca; Pietro Gallo; Paolo Menesatti. Aerodynamic properties of six organo-mineral fertiliser particles. Journal of Agricultural Engineering 2013, 44, 1 .

AMA Style

Marcello Biocca, Pietro Gallo, Paolo Menesatti. Aerodynamic properties of six organo-mineral fertiliser particles. Journal of Agricultural Engineering. 2013; 44 (2):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marcello Biocca; Pietro Gallo; Paolo Menesatti. 2013. "Aerodynamic properties of six organo-mineral fertiliser particles." Journal of Agricultural Engineering 44, no. 2: 1.

Journal article
Published: 06 January 2013 in Journal of Agricultural Engineering
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Neonicotinoid insecticides (imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam) and fipronil for maize (Zea mays L.) seed dressing have been claimed to play a role in honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) decline, since pneumatic precision drills used for sowing contribute to the dispersion of the abrasion dust produced by dressed seeds. The active ingredients (a.i.) can contaminate the environment and can lead to the exposure of operators and bystanders during sowing operations. To achieve a significant reduction of dust drift and to enhance the safety for the operators, CRA-ING studied and developed novel engineering solutions applicable to drills, based on an air-recycling/filtering system. In the first system, the air’s excess is forced outward through suitable filters placed on the modified lid of the seed hopper. It can be easily applied to commercial drills in use. The second system was specifically designed for new drills. It consists of a collector duct that receives the air expelled from the vacuum fan opening, creating constant pressure conditions. Part of the air is recycled into the seed hoppers, as the air in excess is directed outward through a single main filter. A third system, based on the second one, entails the use of an electrostatic filter to improve its efficiency. Moreover, to avoid the operator’s exposure to the dust during the seed loading, we show an integrated solution based on the use of a modified pre-charged plastic container that replace the drill’s hoppers. Preliminary tests ascertained the regular seed distribution with the drills equipped with the prototypes. Then, trials were carried out at fixed point and in field, for detecting the amounts of the drifted a.i., using commercial maize seed dressed with thiamethoxam, imidacloprid, clothianidin and fipronil. The test results show powder and a.i. drift reductions up to a maximum of 94.5% measured at ground level (with fipronil as a.i.) as a consequence of the use of the prototypes.

ACS Style

D. Pochi; M. Biocca; G. Brannetti; R. Fanigliulo; P. Gallo; R. Grilli; S. Montanari; P. Pulcini. Engineering solutions applied to pneumatic drills to reduce losses of dust from dressed seeds. Journal of Agricultural Engineering 2013, 44, 1 .

AMA Style

D. Pochi, M. Biocca, G. Brannetti, R. Fanigliulo, P. Gallo, R. Grilli, S. Montanari, P. Pulcini. Engineering solutions applied to pneumatic drills to reduce losses of dust from dressed seeds. Journal of Agricultural Engineering. 2013; 44 (2):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

D. Pochi; M. Biocca; G. Brannetti; R. Fanigliulo; P. Gallo; R. Grilli; S. Montanari; P. Pulcini. 2013. "Engineering solutions applied to pneumatic drills to reduce losses of dust from dressed seeds." Journal of Agricultural Engineering 44, no. 2: 1.

Journal article
Published: 05 May 2012 in Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
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This paper assessed the potential exposure of bees (Apis mellifera L.) to pesticides during maize (Zea mays L.) sowing with pneumatic drills. Data were derived from tests carried out in field tests, comparing two configurations of a pneumatic precision drill: conventional drill; drill with air deflectors. In addition, static tests simulating the sowing under controlled conditions, were performed on the drill equipped with an innovative system developed at CRA-ING. During the field tests, the concentrations in the air of the active ingredients of four insecticides used in maize seed dressing (imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam and fipronil) were recorded. The concentrations of active ingredients in the air were used for assessing the quantities of active ingredients that a bee might intercept as it flies in a sort of virtual tunnel, the dimensions of which were dependent upon the bee body cross-section and the length of flight. The results of the field tests show that the air deflectors were not completely effective in reducing the amount of active ingredients dispersed in the air. The results of the static tests with drill equipped with the prototype indicated reductions of the active ingredient air concentrations ranging from 72 % up to 95 %, with reference to the conventional drill. Such ratios were applied to the amounts of active ingredients intercepted by the bees in the virtual tunnel contributing to a consistent reduction of the probability that sub-lethal effects can occur.

ACS Style

Daniele Pochi; Marcello Biocca; Roberto Fanigliulo; Patrizio Pulcini; Elisa Conte. Potential Exposure of Bees, Apis mellifera L., to Particulate Matter and Pesticides Derived from Seed Dressing During Maize Sowing. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 2012, 89, 354 -361.

AMA Style

Daniele Pochi, Marcello Biocca, Roberto Fanigliulo, Patrizio Pulcini, Elisa Conte. Potential Exposure of Bees, Apis mellifera L., to Particulate Matter and Pesticides Derived from Seed Dressing During Maize Sowing. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. 2012; 89 (2):354-361.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Daniele Pochi; Marcello Biocca; Roberto Fanigliulo; Patrizio Pulcini; Elisa Conte. 2012. "Potential Exposure of Bees, Apis mellifera L., to Particulate Matter and Pesticides Derived from Seed Dressing During Maize Sowing." Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 89, no. 2: 354-361.

Journal article
Published: 28 February 2011 in Biomass and Bioenergy
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In Italy, olive tree groves may offer up to a million tonnes of dry biomass per year as pruning residue. Searching for a cost-effective way to tap this potential, the authors tested a new machine, capable of recovering pruning residue at the same time as pruning. The pre-commercial prototype was tested on four different plots and compared to a simpler tractor-base mechanical pruning unit. The authors conducted detailed time-studies in order to determine machine productivity and residue recovery cost. The integrated machine can treat between 0.2 and 0.6 ha h−1, producing between 0.33 and 1.03 tonnes of fresh residue hour−1. Its integrated residue recovery function does not slow the pruning, which actually proceeds faster than with the tractor-base unit, due to the more efficient multiple-disc cutting bar. The marginal cost of residue recovery hovers around 40–45 € fresh tonne−1. However, the new machine must not be considered just as a biomass harvester, but rather as a mechanical pruning unit with an integrated biomass recovery function. Its main benefit derives from the capacity of performing a very effective mechanical pruning, and the residue recovery function is a secondary benefit yet unavailable on standard pruning machines. Its deployment must be seen in the context of a general effort to modernize olive grove management and to develop an integrated biomass production system, rather than as a further attempt to build a specialised biomass supply chain.

ACS Style

Raffaele Spinelli; Natascia Magagnotti; Carla Nati; Claudio Cantini; Graziano Sani; Gianni Picchi; Marcello Biocca. Integrating olive grove maintenance and energy biomass recovery with a single-pass pruning and harvesting machine. Biomass and Bioenergy 2011, 35, 808 -813.

AMA Style

Raffaele Spinelli, Natascia Magagnotti, Carla Nati, Claudio Cantini, Graziano Sani, Gianni Picchi, Marcello Biocca. Integrating olive grove maintenance and energy biomass recovery with a single-pass pruning and harvesting machine. Biomass and Bioenergy. 2011; 35 (2):808-813.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Raffaele Spinelli; Natascia Magagnotti; Carla Nati; Claudio Cantini; Graziano Sani; Gianni Picchi; Marcello Biocca. 2011. "Integrating olive grove maintenance and energy biomass recovery with a single-pass pruning and harvesting machine." Biomass and Bioenergy 35, no. 2: 808-813.

Journal article
Published: 01 January 2011 in Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B
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The utilization of dressed seed for spring sowing is a widespread practice to control some pests with reduced doses of chemical products. However some insecticides employed in maize seed dressing, namely belonging to the neonicotinoid family and fipronil, have been claimed to play a role in the decline of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.). Pneumatic drills used in maize sowing are charged with contributing to the dispersion of the abrasion dust produced by dressed seeds, favoring the contamination of the honeybee habitat. Different devices similar to air deflectors have been introduced on pneumatic drills in order to reduce dust drift. During previous field tests carried out by the authors during recent years reduction of dust concentration both in the air and at soil surface has been shown as a consequence of their application. As field tests are affected by the variability of environmental parameters (namely wind speed and direction) the results are not always reliable, comparable and of a general validity. This paper refers to a sowing simulation test system in which pneumatic drills can be tested at a fixed point under controlled conditions of the main environmental parameters. In the test area, protected by external influences, artificial wind conditions are created by means of a fan. The drill, suitably placed in the test area, operates the seed distribution "sur place" by means of an electric engine connected to the drill's driving wheel. A 22.5 m long sampling area, leeward with respect to the drill position, has been identified. Along the sampling area a series of Petri dishes has been placed, with the aim of capturing the depositing dust and providing the concentration of the active ingredients (a.i.) at ground level. At the same time, three air samplers with PTFE diskette filters have been used for the detection of the a.i. The test system has been used for the test of a pneumatic drill, equipped with and without air deflectors, using maize seed dressed with four a. i. (imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiametoxam, fipronil). The results showed regularly decreasing of the concentrations as distance increased, both in the air and at ground level. Moreover, the difference determined by the adoption of the drift reducing device (air deflectors) resulted clear and it can be quantified at around 50 % of the a.i. amounts observed without deflectors. Finally, the paper proposes a data processing method that, from the values observed at fixed point, provides the theoretical a.i. concentration behavior that would occur in field, under the same conditions of wind speed and direction and working speed. The obtained results are coherent with previous field test.

ACS Style

Marcello Biocca; Elisa Conte; Patrizio Pulcini; Enzo Marinelli; Daniele Pochi. Sowing simulation tests of a pneumatic drill equipped with systems aimed at reducing the emission of abrasion dust from maize dressed seed. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B 2011, 46, 1 .

AMA Style

Marcello Biocca, Elisa Conte, Patrizio Pulcini, Enzo Marinelli, Daniele Pochi. Sowing simulation tests of a pneumatic drill equipped with systems aimed at reducing the emission of abrasion dust from maize dressed seed. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B. 2011; 46 (6):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marcello Biocca; Elisa Conte; Patrizio Pulcini; Enzo Marinelli; Daniele Pochi. 2011. "Sowing simulation tests of a pneumatic drill equipped with systems aimed at reducing the emission of abrasion dust from maize dressed seed." Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B 46, no. 6: 1.