The Crop Adapted Spray Application (CASA) system is an innovative orchard spraying technology designed to improve the precision and sustainability of plant protection. By combining disease detection, crop sensing, wind measurement and DGPS navigation, CASA automatically adjusts spray application parameters according to crop characteristics, environmental conditions and sprayer position.
The system supports variable rate application of pesticides, helping growers apply only the amount required while reducing spray drift and protecting sensitive areas such as surface waters from contamination. As a result, pesticide use can be significantly reduced without compromising disease control.
Trials have demonstrated spray savings ranging from 31% to 82% compared with conventional spraying methods. The technology also improved spray distribution within the tree canopy and reduced spray losses to the ground, while maintaining effective deposition on the crop and reliable disease control performance.
An additional feature of CASA is its use of drift mitigation scenarios, which combine different nozzle and airflow settings to minimise off-target spray movement. These scenarios achieved more than 80% drift reduction, without a significant decrease in spray deposition within the canopy.
The CASA system is built around three integrated components. The Crop Health Sensor (CHS) assesses crop health status to support spray decision-making. The Crop Identification System (CIS) identifies canopy characteristics to enable variable rate application. The Environmentally Dependent Application System (EDAS) measures wind speed and direction and uses DGPS navigation to help protect surrounding sensitive areas from contamination.
By combining crop monitoring, environmental sensing and precision application technologies, CASA demonstrates how advanced spraying systems can reduce pesticide inputs, improve fruit quality and contribute to safer and more sustainable orchard management.
