As we all know, biocontrol is not just about using products that are better for the environment, it’s also about combining techniques to optimise your practices. When it comes to spraying, for example, we often think of section cutting or anti-drift nozzles. Reducing the drift of phytosanitary products and providing better coverage of treated leaves is now possible, in winegrowing, thanks to Bliss Ecospray technology.
Created in January 2021, Bliss Ecospray is a start-up marketing a confinement technology using air blades. It meets the needs of winegrowers. It was invented by Vincent de Rudnicki, a researcher at INRAE whose speciality is working on pesticide dispersion. When the two blades of air produced by the nozzles meet, they create a turbulence effect, a sort of shield, which allows the drops of product to penetrate right to the heart of the vegetation.
The Bliss Ecospray aeroconfined system was developed for vines. We can only dream of seeing it used for other crops © Bliss Ecospray
Rather than come up with a solution to reduce the nuisance associated with spraying problems (loss of products into the soil and the air), Vincent de Rudnicki said to himself: “Let’s try to reduce the problems at source” and came up with a model that confines the sprays as soon as they are applied. Inspired by the effects of air in aeronautics, he devised, prototyped and validated an aeroconfined concept: the sprays are encapsulated in a hermetically sealed air bubble. The entire product is plant-oriented.
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