This paper proposes use of the multibody approach to evaluate the severity of the injuries to the driver associated with rollover of an agricultural tractor. A simple rollover accident of a narrow-track wheeled tractor was simulated in the multibody-FEM Madymo environment and the biomechanical damage to the operator with and without 2-point pelvic restraint was analysed. The structure of the tractor was considered to be unbendable, whereas (i) infinitely rigid, (ii) clay-based and (iii) sand-based soils have been studied. The obtained results highlight the important role played by the seat belt in confining the farm operator within the safety volume maintained by the rollover protective structure (ROPS) of the tractor so that the injuries are reduced. The deformation of the soil produces lower acceleration and velocity values than those obtained with a rigid soil. On the other hand, as soil plastic deformations increase, the penetration of ROPS into the soil also increases, thus reducing the safety volume of the tractor and increasing the probability of interactions between the operator and the soil.

The present study relates about the structural characteristics of a trailed test bench prototype suitably designed for the adjustment of the sprayers used for expanded canopy fruit-growing. This test bench is equipped with a droplets intercepting patternator, that can be folded on the bottom of a road trailer during the transfers, through manually operated hydraulic systems. Furthermore the test bench is equipped with a computerized measure system realized by a measure bench, a computer and an ad hoc software. Preliminary tests of useful effectiveness were carried out with the still droplets intercepting patternator, through surveys of some fluid dynamic characteristics, very important for the evaluation of the transversal patterns of distribution produced by air assisted sprayers (air-convection or pneumatic sprayers). On the ground of the obtained results, the patternator is suitable for the evaluation of the transverse patterns of distribution produced by sprayers at present used for treatments to tree cultures 3.5 m high.

The aim of this note is to analyse the features of the ESS “150 RB14” electrostatic sprayer, an innovative model compared to the standard air-assisted sprayers traditionally used by Apulian growers (Southern Italy) in “tendone” vineyards. The experimental tests showed that the activation of the electrostatic system produced a significant increase in the mean deposit, but it was located only on the foliar layer of the canopy closer to the sprayer. However this result should also imply an increase in the deposits on the bunches when the electrostatic system is activated, even if further tests are necessary to verify this expectation. If this will be substantiated, the electrostatic sprayer ESS “150 RB14” would be suitable for the targeted applications usually performed in “tendone” table grape vineyards.

The diffusion of pollutants in the atmosphere, agricultural soil, irrigation water, crops and food chain can produce potential environmental health risk. The aims of this study are the environmental risk assessment for the aquifers and the estimation of pollutants concentration in the forage cultivated for evaluating the risk for human health. The risk analysis was applied in the rural territory of Statte (Taranto, Italy) using an innovative methodology based on the integration of models for estimation of pollutant leaching in the groundwater and for the evaluation of bio-transfer of pollutant in the plant. The model results are in accordance with the experimental values therefore the proposed methodology allows the evaluation and management of environmental health risks in agricultural areas interested by pollution phenomena generated by industrial plants.

The diffusion of pollutants in the atmosphere, agricultural soil, irrigation water, crops and food chain can produce potential environmental health risk. The aims of this study are the environmental risk assessment for the aquifers and the estimation of pollutants concentration in the forage for evaluating the risk for human health. The risk analysis was applied in the rural territory of Statte (Taranto, Italy) using an innovative methodology based on the integration of models for estimation of pollutant leaching in the groundwater and for the evaluation of bio-transfer of pollutant in the plant. The model results are in accordance with the experimental values and therefore the proposed methodology allows the evaluation and management of environmental health risks in agricultural areas interested by pollution phenomena generated by industrial plants.

Nella presente nota si riportano i risultati di uno studio mirato all’analisi del campo elettrico generato da Stazioni Radio Base posizionate su terreni agricoli allo scopo di valutare l’esposizione degli operatori durante le lavorazioni di campo effettuate in aree ad esse circostanti. Per il rischio degli operatori si fa riferimento ai limiti di esposizione ed ai valori di attenzione (per permanenze non superiori alle quattro ore) riportati nel D.P.C.M. 08/07/2003 Art. 3 ovvero, per le frequenze a cui operano le SRB di telefonia cellulare, rispettivamente 20 V/m e 6 V/m. Sulla base dei risultati ottenuti, si può affermare che esiste effettivamente un pericolo per la salute degli operatori che compiono lavori in prossimità di SRB per telefonia cellulare per un periodo superiore alle 4 ore; tale rischio, però, si riduce sensibilmente e diviene accettabile considerando le effettive condizioni di funzionamento delle Stazione Radio Base, notevomente inferiori a quelle nominali.

Organic and inorganic polluting substances contaminate a large number of agricultural areas in Italy. In these areas the workers' exposure to the aforesaid contaminants potentially can involve of the biological equilibrium with consequent poisonings and/or professional diseases. The aim of this paper is the evaluation of the sanitary risk for the agricultural employees that operate in a rural area of southern Italy in the Campania Region, characterized by the presence of agrarian crops in open fields and inside greenhouses. This area is also concerneded by the presence of pollutants released during the years by unauthorized dumps. The results point out that the hazard index HQ and the cancer increase risk R for the agricultural operators that work inside greenhouses or on open fields are widely below the legal limits. Furthermore the agricultural operators that work inside greenhouses, where the air replacements are produced by side and ridge openings and defective tightness of the covering, are exposed to a much greater sanitary environmental risk (HQ and R) than the labourers employed on open fields.

The electromagnetic field (EMF) levels generated by mobile telephone radio base stations (RBS) situated on rural-agricultural lands were assessed in order to evaluate the exposure of farm workers in the surrounding area. The expected EMF at various distances from a mobile telephone RBS was calculated using an ad hoc numerical forecast model. Subsequently, the electric fields around some RBS on agricultural lands were measured, in order to obtain a good approximation of the effective conditions at the investigated sites. The viability of this study was tested according to the Italian Regulations concerning general and occupational public exposure to time-varying EMFs. The calculated E-field values were obtained with the RBS working constantly at full power, but during the in situ measurements the actual power emitted by RBS antennas was lower than the maximum level, and the E-field values actually registered were much lower than the calculated values.

In this note the experimental results of an analysis of the electromagnetic fields present in the productive area of new built oil-mill, placed in Bari district, considered representative of the majority of such a kind of the workshops in the Apulia region, are reported. Introductory study's purpose has been evidently to evaluate the exposure level of the workers during an oil production activity, inside a typology of transformation systems much spread on the Apulian territory that, even though with seasonal character, gives occupation to a big number of operators. Results of the tests highlight that inside the considered oil-mill there are not electromagnetic pollution risks for the operators during the period of maximum use of its productive capacities.

The use of fossil fuels for greenhouse heating may cause negative impacts on the environmental state and air quality. In this context, geothermal heat pumps can meet the energy needs of the greenhouses with low environmental impact. In this study we have analyzed and compared the technical, energetic, environmental and agricultural performance of a pilot plant “photovoltaic - geothermal heat pump” and a conventional hot air generator fueled by LPG for heating of two experimental greenhouses. The experimental tests performed and the life cycle analysis (LCA) of the thermal energy produced by the two heating systems have made it possible to demonstrate that geothermal heat pumps are an alternative to conventional thermal plant because they provide suitable microclimatic conditions for crop growth in greenhouse with low environmental impact.

The most of the serious accidents in agriculture are caused by the tractor roll-over and in order to reducing and limiting the number of these work accidents, manufacturers must equip the tractor with a ROPS and a seat belt anchorage according to the European Community directive. In this field of high interest for the workers’ safety, we propose to analyse the injuries caused by the overturning of the tractor and the effectiveness operator restraint systems, by means of the multibody-FEM code MadymoTM (MAthematical DYnamic MOdels), produced by TNO Automotive Safety Solutions (NL). To our knowledge, a similar approach is used for the first time in the context of accidents related to the utilisation of agricultural machines. In this paper we analysed the roll-over dynamics of a wheeled tractor with narrow track having the structure infinitely rigid, but in the simulation model the behaviour of three type of soil having different stiffness values were compared. The aim of the study is to analyze how the soil mechanical characteristics affect the simulation of the accident dynamics, comparing the values both of the cinematic parameters and of the tractor biological injuries.

Three-year observations about the canopy restraining of 15 olive cultivars trained according to the high-density system were made in order to supply up-to-date information about the varietal behavior foradult orchards of this new cropping system. The mechanical pruning started at the end of the 6th year from planting and it was repeated for the following two years. Cultivar vigour affected pruning biomassand olive yield. Canonical discriminant analysis was performed to identify differences among cultivars. Medium-low vigour cultivars (Spanish and Greek) can be successfully controlled by mechanical and manual prunings without compromising their yield; instead, medium-high vigour cultivars (traditional and new Italian) require mechanical prunings to control canopy size, but this operation can hardly compromise their yield level and constancy. Further investigations are required to understand the right width ofhedging to reach the correct equilibrium between vegetative and reproductive activity in adult orchards. At the moment, the correct varietal choice remains the only way to ensure the agronomical and economic sustainability of the high-density cropping systems, waiting for new results from breeding programs.

In Italy, a large number of agricultural areas are contaminated by organic and inorganic polluting substances. In such areas, the agricultural operators come into contact with the environmental contaminants through inhalation and dermic contact with dusts and vapour, and this exposure can potentially alter the biological equilibrium with consequent poisonings and/or work-related illness. The aim of this paper is to apply a methodological procedure for the numerical evaluation of the health risk for agricultural employees operating in open fields or inside greenhouses located in areas contaminated with organic pollutants. This procedure is in response to the lack of calculation models concerning these types of environment and agricultural activities. As a case study, this methodology has been applied to an agricultural area of southern Italy characterised by the presence of pollutants. The results underline that in this area there is a smaller concentration of pollutants in open field cultivations than inside greenhouses owing to a phenomenon of dispersion into the atmosphere. This numeric analysis will later be verified by measurements carried out in situ in order to evaluate the real situation on the ground

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the electrostatic charge on foliar spray deposition in an Apulian “tendone” vineyard using an innovative pneumatic electrostatic sprayer. The sprayer was fitted with nozzles that linked the pneumatic atomization of the liquid, obtained using compressed air, to the electrostatic induction charge, thereby producing a stream of charged fine droplets. Furthermore, the sprayer was designed for low volume treatments, and the experimentation was carried out during a phenological stage with high leaf density to evaluate the performance of the machine under particularly challenging operative conditions. The sprayer was studied at three forward speeds (4, 5, and 6 km/h), and gave poor deposition inside the canopy, whether or not the electrostatic system was activated. Forward speed did not significantly affect the mean foliar spray deposition, whereas activation of the electrostatic system significantly increased the deposit only on the layer of foliage nearest to the sprayer (lower layer), but had no effect on deposition on the layer of foliage inside the canopy (upper layer). The ratio between the deposits on the two layers (lower:upper) was 6.5:1 when the electrostatic system was switched off, and 9.0:1 when it was switched on. However, this behaviour may allow targeted treatments on grapes, such as Plant Protection Products (PPP) or bio growth stimulants. Furthermore, the small droplets produced by the machine are suitable for table grape protection because the droplets do not mark the grapes, which would reduce the quality of the product and its commercial value.

The intrinsic factor of variability of renewable energy sources often limits their broader use. The photovoltaic solar systems can be provided with a power back up based on a combination of an electrolyzer and a fuel cell stack. The integration of solar hydrogen power systems with greenhouse heating equipment can provide a possible option for powering stand-alone greenhouses. The aim of the research under development at the experimental farm of Department of Agro-Environmental Sciences of the University of Bari “Aldo Moro” is to investigate on the suitable solutions of a power system based on photovoltaic energy and on the use of hydrogen as energy vector, integrated with a ground source heat pump for greenhouse heating in a self sustained way. The excess energy produced by a purpose-built array of solar photovoltaic modules supplies an alkaline electrolyzer; the produced hydrogen gas is stored in pressured storage tank. When the solar radiation level is insufficient to meet the heat pump power demand, the fuel cell starts converting the chemical energy stored by the hydrogen fuel into electricity. This paper reports on the description of the realized system. Furthermore the efficiency and the operational mode of the electrolyzer were evaluated during a trial period characterized by mutable solar radiant energy. Anyway the electrolyzer worked continuously in a transient state producing fluctuations of the hydrogen production and without ever reaching the steady–state conditions. The Faradic efficiency, evaluated by means of an empirical mathematic model, highlights that the suitable working range of the electrolyzer was 1.5÷2.5 kW and then for hydrogen production more than 0.21 Nm^3h^-1.

This paper reports the results of spray application trials in a “tendone” trained vineyard in order to evaluate the influence of forward speed and air volume on the foliar deposition of Plant Protection Products (PPPs), maintaining roughly constant the volume applied. The trials used an air-assisted sprayer with a centrifugal fan and 4+4 adjustable fan-shaped diffusers, each with a nozzle-holder group. A full factorial experimental design was implemented, with three forward speeds and two airflow rates, organized with a randomised complete block design including three replicates. In order to consider the influence of canopy development, the tests (one spray application for each replicate of a mixture containing a water-soluble food dye as a tracer) were replicated during two phenological stages: the “end of flowering” and “berry touch” stages. Leaves were picked at random from the canopy after each spray treatment, and foliar PPP deposition was evaluated using a spectrophotometer. This analysis of foliar deposition showed that the airflow rates produced by the fan were unsuitable for the dense canopy typical of this type of vineyard. However, the special shape of the diffusers may make this sprayer effective if the main objective of pesticide applications in “tendone” table grape vineyards is to control bunch diseases.

The energy and economic performance analysis of integrated photovoltaic and geothermal systems, for greenhouse heating, was investigated in a experimental study developed at the University of Bari, Southern Italy. A 7.2 kW geothermal heat pump combined with a 120 m vertical double U-bend ground heat exchanger was installed in order to supply the thermal energy demand of 48 m 2 single plastic skin greenhouse. Heat extraction energy from the soil, air temperature above the heated cultivated surface, growing media temperature, water temperature inside the heating system were measured and recorded continuously by a system composed of sensors and data logger. Results of the experiment showed that the use of geothermal sources integrated with photovoltaic panels can supply of totally heat energy demand of greenhouse with zero air emission and economy saving of 40% compared to the traditional heating systems.