Inspeção de pulverizadores costais: situação dos equipamentos utilizados pela agricultura familiar.

Abstract

The knapsack sprayer is widely used by farmers to carry out an effective pest control with the main objective of improving the productivity of different crops. It is considered a versatile equipment, easy to use and to acquire. Given this importance, identifying the negative aspects that are associated with the spraying process has become necessary to understand the factors that can compromise the efficient and secure process. This study aims to diagnose the conditions of use, maintenance and conservation of manually operated knapsack sprayers, new and used, which are used in different crops conditions. For this, we used a methodology to determine the conditions of use of such equipment where the brand new were tested as assessments under the Brazilian standard ABNT NBR 19932 and those in use, belonging to farmers, underwent a technical inspection covering important elements considered for efficiency, safe and responsible spraying process. Therefore, we developed specific devices for the realization of the tests described in the standard and also to the inspections carried out in the field. The observations were made in order to carry out a broad and deep understanding of the whole process from the preparation, execution and completion of the activity undertaken by the farmer. The data were analyzed and processed using descriptive statistics and nonparametric statistics to determine the existence of a significant correlation between the elements observed during the interviews and inspections. Thus, it was observed that the new equipment tested do not meet satisfactorily the guidelines established by the standard in its fullness and equipment used by farmers have flaws that undermine the technical efficiency in the spraying process, the health of the farmer and the environment. Also, factors have been observed to highlight the need for training of operators and changes in the design of equipment.