Environmental protection, rational use of energy, innovation and change are at the heart of Caprai's business strategies. Growing responsibly, respecting the environment, means guaranteeing a future for our territory and therefore for our children.
IMPROVING PESTICIDE MANAGEMENT AND REDUCING DRIFT
In recent years, the first prototype machine for vineyard treatments with product recovery for hilly areas. First presented in 2012 at Enological 33, at the 'Green Economy Wine - Territory, Innovation, Quality, Sustainability' conference, and in 2014 at the eighth Best Practices of Innovation award promoted by Confindustria Salerno, this prototype resulted in a reduction of more than 50% of pesticide consumption, reducing drift and dropping of product on the ground. Currently there are several manufacturers of recovery machines on the market, but they can only be adapted to lowland viticulture.
The mechanism consists of applying two to four shields longitudinal to the vegetative wall, where on one or both sides the vegetation is sprayed, while on the opposite sides, by means of a suction system, the product not deposited is recovered.
The use of these machines favours a drastic reduction in pollutionthanks to a minimum quantity of product dispersed in the air and the use of the same only in the doses that actually serve the development of the vegetation present. In this way, it is superfluous to adjust the dosages and volumes of water according to the vegetation treated.
The great limitation of these types of sprayers, however, remains that they are preferable for use in flat areas, where they can move more easily, without incurring risks of breakage and tipping hazards due to their weight, structure, size and lack of ability to properly contain the row inside the recovery systems.
The innovative recovery machine prototype for hilly areas was realised by the Caprai company through three very important stages:
This new technology for sprayers becomes indispensable for recovery sprayers, which, if not correctly levelled, cannot work in conditions of lateral counter-slope, as the recovery shields are cantilevered with respect to the espalier itself.
The company is continuing its efforts to reduce pesticide consumption and reduce drift by designing and producing a new prototype recovery machine which will integrate new software systems capable of assessing the phytosanitary status of the vines in real time and adjusting the concentration of the product mix to be distributed in the vineyard through GPS prescription maps.
