Tea plant pest control device and tea plant pest control method

Abstract

To provide a pest control device and a pest control method which deal with organic cultivation and also with various pests, which can efficiently perform pest control, and which further can remove foreign objects in tea plants.SOLUTION: A pest control device includes: blower means for blowing air from an outlet 52a towards tea plants 31; and recovery means which recovers from a recovery port 9a matters scattered from the tea plants 31 by the air blown off from the outlet 52a. The blower means is provided with a plurality of blast nozzles 5 which are installed with prescribed spaces apart in the extending direction of a flow duct 4. The blast nozzle 5 has a proximal part 51 which extends downward or obliquely downward from the flow duct 4, and has an outlet part 52 which is oriented obliquely upward from the lower end of the proximal part 51 and which has the outlet 52a formed on top. The recovery port 9a is situated obliquely upward from the outlet 52a, and the outlet 52a is for blowing off air obliquely upward toward the recovery port 9a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlling pests of tea plants. [Background technology]

[0002] Due to a growing global health consciousness, tea exports are increasing year by year, and demand for organically grown tea is particularly expanding due to the trend toward organic farming. Overseas pesticide residue standards are strict, and organic farming is important as a countermeasure to these strict pesticide residue standards. Therefore, organic farming is an important issue that requires immediate action. However, the reality of organic farming is that pest control measures are rarely implemented. Rising temperatures toward summer, prolonged rainfall such as the rainy season, and frequent pest infestations associated with typhoons often cause significant damage to new buds, preventing subsequent harvests. Compared to tea farming managed using conventional pest control systems, annual tea leaf yields are unstable and low, resulting in low profits per unit area. As a result, the area under organic cultivation has not expanded. A major problem with organic tea farming is the occurrence of pests and diseases, and pest control measures tailored to organic farming are necessary.

[0003] Many tea products for export are not organically grown, and in such cases, the pesticides that can be used and the residue standards vary depending on the export country. Pesticides developed and registered in Japan are strictly defined, taking into account factors such as residue, such as the number of days before harvest and the number of times they can be used within a specified period. They can be used without any problems in tea products sold and consumed domestically. However, many pesticides are not registered overseas because they are intended for domestic use. Since their residue and safety have not been confirmed in each country, many are subject to residue standards at the time of import, making some completely unsuitable for export. Many of the pesticides that can be used for export are traditional and often less effective than newly developed pesticides. Some pesticides, such as copper pesticides and pyrethrum pesticides, made from natural ingredients, can also be used.

[0004] When using conventional pest control with export in mind, it is necessary to determine the target countries in advance and use only pesticides that are permitted for use. However, it is rare for tea growers to directly export and sell tea products, making it difficult for tea growers to handle the situation on their own.

[0005] Pests of fresh tea leaves come in a variety of forms, including adults and larvae, winged insects that fly, insects that crawl on the tea plants, and insects that suck the sap from the new shoots. Typical pests known to cause damage include the tea green leafhopper, the tea yellow thrips, and the Kanzawa spider mite. When affected by any of these insect pests, the yield of fresh tea leaves drops significantly, and the quality also declines, causing great damage to tea farmers.

[0006] Specific diseases that cause damage include anthracnose, ring spot, and red burn, but the damage caused by anthracnose, which occurs from June onwards, is particularly notable. Anthracnose in fresh tea leaves causes leaf wither, leaf drop, and weakened tree vigor, resulting in reduced yields, and diseased and fallen leaves becoming mixed into the harvest, significantly reducing the quality of tea products. It is also known that the fungus remains on infected and fallen diseased leaves, and the infection spreads due to weather conditions such as rainfall.

[0007] Therefore, for pest control in organic farming, pest control devices such as those disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 have been disclosed.

[0008] In conventional pest control systems, a pest control device such as that disclosed in Patent Document 3 is used. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-104274 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 3900489 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-170089 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] In the case of Patent Document 1, the pest control device is large, making it difficult to adopt in narrow tea fields or tea fields with slopes.

[0011] Regarding Patent Document 2, the control effect against the tea green leafhopper and the Kanzawa spider mite can be achieved by repeating the control at short intervals (every few days). However, there are many drawbacks, such as the limitation of the insect pests that can be controlled, and the short and frequent control cycle, and therefore the method has not become widespread.

[0012] Furthermore, the above-mentioned patent document 2 has no effect on tea yellow thrips. Therefore, the infestation rate is observed to fluctuate about 7 to 9 times per year, with the infestation density increasing particularly after the second harvest. The infestation parasitizes spores before new shoots unfold and sucks out sap. Damage occurs when the new shoots grow slower, turn brown, and die. This significantly reduces the yield of fresh tea leaves and also reduces their quality, causing significant damage to tea farmers.

[0013] Furthermore, with regard to Patent Document 2, the effectiveness of the disease control method is unclear, and there is also the risk of infection spreading due to the accompanying watering.

[0014] With regard to Patent Document 3, in organic farming, only chemicals compatible with organic farming can be sprayed, and if the wrong chemical is used even once, the tea leaves cannot be used as organically grown tea. Furthermore, even if chemicals compatible with organic farming are sprayed, in the case of pests that have wings and fly, they will fly back and cause insect damage once the chemical's effectiveness wears off. Furthermore, in the case of disease, there is a risk that diseased leaves that have been sprayed with chemicals will remain on the tea plants and cause disease again.

[0015] Based on the above, the present invention aims to provide a pest control device and method that are compatible with organic cultivation, can deal with various pests and diseases, can efficiently control pests, and can also remove foreign matter from within tea plants. [Means for solving the problem]

[0016] The first means of the present invention comprises a traveling vehicle body that travels across the tea plants and along the ridges, a blowing means that is provided on the traveling vehicle body and blows air from an outlet toward the tea plants, and a collecting means that is provided on the traveling vehicle body and collects from a collecting port anything that is scattered from the tea plants by the air blown out from the outlet, the air blowing means comprises an air blowing fan, an air blowing duct connected to the air blowing fan and extending in the ridge width direction of the tea plants, and a plurality of air blowing nozzles provided at predetermined intervals in the extending direction of the air blowing duct; the blower nozzle has a base portion extending downward or obliquely downward from the blower duct, and a blower portion directed obliquely upward from a lower end of the base, the blower portion having the blower outlet formed at a tip thereof, The recovery port is located diagonally above the air outlet, The blow-out outlet and the recovery outlet are configured so that, while maintaining their relative positions, the blow-out outlet is positioned 1 cm to 10 cm below the surface of the tea plant crown and the recovery outlet can be changed to a height above the tea plant, It can remove not only pests but also diseased leaves, fallen leaves, and other foreign matter. the law of nature, Furthermore, an angle adjusting means for adjusting the angle of the air blowing duct by rotating it around an axis extending in the ridge width direction of the tea plant; a height adjusting means for adjusting the height of the air blower duct independently of the recovery port, The blow-out port is located in the leaf layer 1 cm to 10 cm below the surface of the tea plant crown, and the angle and height can be adjusted relative to the collection port located above the tea plant. A tea plant pest control device characterized by 。 The present invention 2 The means is 1st move In the stage, the air outlet is set so that the air blowing direction is 5 to 60 degrees upward with respect to the horizontal plane. The present invention 3 The first means Or two moves In the stage, a chemical solution transfer and supply means is provided, The chemical solution transfer and supply means comprises a tank for storing a non-chemically synthesized pesticide, and a supply device connected to the tank for mixing the non-chemically synthesized pesticide supplied from the tank with the air blown out from the outlet. The present invention 4 The first means Or two moves In the stage, a water transfer supply means is provided, The water transfer and supply means includes a tank for storing water, and a supply device connected to the tank for mixing the water supplied from the tank with the air blown out from the outlet.

[0017] The present invention 5 The means are: In a tea plant pest control method carried out using a tea plant pest control device, The tea plant pest control device is The apparatus comprises a traveling vehicle body that travels over the tea plants and along the ridges, a blowing means that is provided on the traveling vehicle body and blows air from an outlet toward the tea plants, and a collecting means that is provided on the traveling vehicle body and collects from a collecting port anything that is scattered from the tea plants by the air blown out from the outlet, the air blowing means comprises an air blowing fan, an air blowing duct connected to the air blowing fan and extending in the ridge width direction of the tea plants, and a plurality of air blowing nozzles provided at predetermined intervals in the extending direction of the air blowing duct; the blower nozzle has a base portion extending downward or obliquely downward from the blower duct, and a blower portion directed obliquely upward from a lower end of the base, the blower portion having the blower outlet formed at a tip thereof, The recovery port is located diagonally above the air outlet, The air outlet blows air obliquely upward toward the collection port, The outlet is 1cm to 10cm below the surface of the tea plant crown. Within the tea plant canopy and the collection port is located above the tea plant. The height of the air blower duct is adjusted independently of the recovery port, an adjusting step of adjusting the height positions of the blowing nozzle and the collecting means; a traveling step of causing the traveling vehicle body to travel along the ridges across the tea plants; Air is blown out from the outlet, and the tea leaves are scattered from the tea plants. diseased leaves and a blowing and collecting step of collecting the pesticide from the collection port. The present invention 6 The means are: In a tea plant pest control method carried out using a tea plant pest control device, The tea plant pest control device is The apparatus comprises a traveling vehicle body that travels over the tea plants and along the ridges, a blowing means that is provided on the traveling vehicle body and blows air from an outlet toward the tea plants, and a collecting means that is provided on the traveling vehicle body and collects from a collecting port anything that is scattered from the tea plants by the air blown out from the outlet, the air blowing means comprises an air blowing fan, an air blowing duct connected to the air blowing fan and extending in the ridge width direction of the tea plants, and a plurality of air blowing nozzles provided at predetermined intervals in the extending direction of the air blowing duct; the blower nozzle has a base portion extending downward or obliquely downward from the blower duct, and a blower portion directed obliquely upward from a lower end of the base, the blower portion having the blower outlet formed at a tip thereof, The recovery port is located diagonally above the air outlet, The air outlet blows air obliquely upward toward the collection port, Further, a chemical solution transfer and supply means is provided, The chemical liquid transferring and supplying means includes a tank for storing a non-chemically synthesized pesticide, and a supplying device connected to the tank for mixing the non-chemically synthesized pesticide supplied from the tank with the air blown out from the outlet, The outlet is 1cm to 10cm below the surface of the tea plant crown. Within the tea plant canopy and the collection port is positioned above the tea plant crown. The height of the air blower duct is adjusted independently of the recovery port,an adjusting step of adjusting the height positions of the blowing nozzle and the collecting means; a traveling step of causing the traveling vehicle body to travel along the ridges across the tea plants; The air mixed with the non-chemically synthesized pesticides by the supply device is blown out from the outlet and dispersed. diseased leaves and a chemical mixing, blowing and recovering step of recovering the chemicals from the recovery port. The present invention 7 The means are: In a tea plant pest control method carried out using a tea plant pest control device, The tea plant pest control device is The apparatus comprises a traveling vehicle body that travels over the tea plants and along the ridges, a blowing means that is provided on the traveling vehicle body and blows air from an outlet toward the tea plants, and a collecting means that is provided on the traveling vehicle body and collects from a collecting port anything that is scattered from the tea plants by the air blown out from the outlet, the air blowing means comprises an air blowing fan, an air blowing duct connected to the air blowing fan and extending in the ridge width direction of the tea plants, and a plurality of air blowing nozzles provided at predetermined intervals in the extending direction of the air blowing duct; the blower nozzle has a base portion extending downward or obliquely downward from the blower duct, and a blower portion directed obliquely upward from a lower end of the base, the blower portion having the blower outlet formed at a tip thereof, The recovery port is located diagonally above the air outlet, The air outlet blows air obliquely upward toward the collection port, Further, a water transfer supply means is provided, the water transfer and supply means includes a tank that stores water, and a supply device that is connected to the tank and mixes the water supplied from the tank with the air blown out from the outlet, The outlet is 1cm to 10cm below the surface of the tea plant crown. Within the tea plant canopy and the collection port is located above the tea plant. The height of the air blower duct is adjusted independently of the recovery port, an adjusting step of adjusting the height positions of the blowing nozzle and the collecting means; a traveling step of causing the traveling vehicle body to travel along the ridges across the tea plants; The air mixed with water by the supply device is blown out from the outlet and scattered. diseased leaves and a water-mixing, blowing, and recovering step of recovering the mixture from the recovery port. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention, pests can be effectively controlled, stable harvesting can be carried out even after the second crop, and both the annual yield and quality of fresh tea leaves can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a tea plant pest control device. [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is a front view showing an example of a tea plant pest control device. [Figure 3] Fig. 3(a) is a side view showing an example of a tea plant pest control device, and Fig. 3(b) is an enlarged view of part B circled by a dashed line in Fig. 3(a). [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a top view showing an example of a tea plant pest control device. [Figure 5] Figure 5(a) is a cross-sectional view of the tea plant pest control device shown in Figure 2 taken along line AA. Figure 5(b) is a conceptual diagram showing the openings (recovery ports) of the air duct, air nozzle, and air guide duct. Figures 5(c) and 5(d) are diagrams for explaining the angle adjustment of the air duct and air nozzle. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of the air duct and the air nozzle. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing an embodiment of a tea plant control method. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a graph showing the number of leaves infected with anthracnose for each tea plant control method compared to the number of leaves infected with anthracnose for no treatment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Generally, tea trees currently managed by moving vehicles have an arc shape of approximately 3000R, and harvesting of fresh tea leaves involves harvesting only the new shoots 312 that grow above the tea plant crown 311 on the tea plant 31 (see Figure 7(b)).

[0021] An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The tea tree pest control device 100 of this embodiment is based on a traveling vehicle body having a gate-shaped frame 1 that straddles the tea trees 31 and a traveling device 2 made of an endless belt. This traveling vehicle body straddles the tea trees 31 and travels along the ridges. The tea tree pest control device 100 travels in the direction shown by the thick arrow in FIG. 1. That is, the direction from the upper right to the lower left in FIG. 1 is the traveling direction of the tea tree pest control device 100. As long as other components can be mounted on the traveling vehicle body, a riding plucking machine, a riding tea plantation care machine, or other transport vehicle may also be used.

[0022] The air blowing means comprises an air duct 4 shaped to follow the surface of the tea plants 31 and distributing air evenly across almost the entire area of ​​the tea plants 31 in the ridge width direction (see Figure 2) that the gate-shaped frame 1 straddles, and a plurality of air nozzles 5 arranged in the air duct 4 to blow air onto the tea plants 31, and an air blower fan 3 to supply air to the air duct 4. The air duct 4 extends in the ridge width direction of the tea plants 31, and the plurality of air blowing nozzles 5 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the extension direction of the air duct 4. In this embodiment, the air blower fan 3 is a fan installed in a riding plucking machine, which is a traveling vehicle, but any other fan that can blow air may be used.

[0023] A collection means is provided behind the air blowing means (rearward in the direction of travel) to collect material scattered from the tea plants 31 by the air blown from the air blowing nozzle 5. As shown in FIG. 5(a), the collection means comprises an air guide duct 9 shaped to receive the air blown from the air blowing nozzle 5 and a collection bag 10. The collection bag 10 is placed on a platform 11 to prevent damage to the tea plants 31. In this embodiment, the air guide duct 9 is a repurposed tea leaf guide duct provided on a riding-type picking machine, which is a traveling vehicle, but this is not limited to this. In this embodiment, scattered material from the tea plants 31 is collected in the cloth collection bag 10, but this is not limited as long as the collected material can be collected without spilling. In this embodiment, the opening of the air guide duct 9 (see FIG. 5(b)) corresponds to an example of a collection port in the present invention and may be referred to as the collection port 9a in the following description.

[0024] The vehicle body is equipped with a chemical solution transfer and supply means consisting of a tank 6 that stores the chemical to be sprayed and a supply device 7 that can meter the chemical. The tip of the chemical solution transfer and supply means is connected to the outlet of each blower nozzle 5 via a hose 8, and air mixed with the chemical is blown out from the blower nozzle 5. While a tank 6 with a capacity large enough to be safely mounted on the vehicle body is preferable, in this example a tank with a capacity of 50 liters is used. Non-synthetic pesticides can be used as chemicals, specifically, pesticides that comply with the Organic JAS certification (pesticides listed in Appendix 2 of the Organic JAS standard) or pesticides derived from natural products can be used.

[0025] It is also possible to store water in tank 6 instead of chemicals, and to have air mixed with water (mist) blown out from blower nozzle 5. In this embodiment, a water transfer and supply means is provided, consisting of tank 6 for storing water to be sprayed and supply device 7 capable of metered supply of water, and the tip of the water transfer and supply means is joined to the outlet of each blower nozzle 5 by hose 8, so that air mixed with water (mist) is blown out from blower nozzle 5. Note that a tank for storing water may be provided separately from tank 6 for storing chemicals, and a configuration may be adopted in which chemicals and water are selectively mixed in the air blown out from blower nozzle 5.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 5(a), the air supply duct 4, which is provided with multiple air supply nozzles 5, the air supply guide duct 9, and the mounting base 11 are unitized by a lifting frame 12 as a lifting unit 20, and are movable up and down as a unit. That is, the height of the air supply outlet 52a and the recovery port 9a of the air supply nozzle 5 are adjustable while maintaining their relative positions (see FIG. 5(b)). Also, as shown in FIG. 5(b), the air supply nozzle 5 provided in the air supply duct 4 has a base 51 with a length L extending downward or diagonally downward from the air supply duct 4, and an air outlet 52 directed diagonally upward from the lower end of the base 51, with an air supply outlet 52a formed at its tip. The recovery port 9a is located diagonally above the air supply outlet 52a at a distance S, and air is blown out diagonally upward from the air supply outlet 52a toward the recovery port 9a, as indicated by the thick arrow. The direction of air blown out from the air outlet 52a is set at an upward angle α2 with respect to the horizontal. Specifically, the angle α2 is set to 5 to 60 degrees by an angle adjustment means, which will be described in detail later. It is more preferable to set the angle α2 to about 45 degrees.

[0027] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the air duct 4 is attached to the lifting frame 12 via an angle adjustment plate 42 and a height adjustment bracket 43 so that its angle and height can be adjusted. That is, the air outlet 52a of the air nozzle 5 provided in the air duct 4 can be adjusted in angle and height relative to the recovery port 9a. Specifically, a height adjustment bracket 43 having a pair of vertically extending elongated holes 431 formed at a distance above and below is fixed to the lifting frame 12. The angle adjustment plate 42 is provided with a pair of pins 423, 423 that are inserted into the pair of elongated holes 431, 431 of the height adjustment bracket 43, respectively. This allows the angle adjustment plate 42 to slide up and down while being guided by the elongated holes 431. The angle adjustment plate 42 is provided with an axis 421 extending in the ridge width direction (a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 3(b)), and an arc-shaped hole 422 centered on the axis 421 is formed. The air duct 4 is provided with a second pin 41 that is inserted into an arc-shaped hole 422 of the angle adjustment plate 42. The second pin 41 is guided by the arc-shaped hole 422 around the axis 421, allowing the air duct 4 to rotate within a rotation angle α. In other words, the angle adjustment plate 42, the axis 421, and the second pin 41 correspond to an example of an angle adjustment means, and the height adjustment fitting 43 and the pin 423 correspond to an example of a height adjustment means. It is preferable to ensure that the rotation angle α is approximately 45 degrees. Each of the pair of pins 423, 423 is provided with a fixing member (not shown) that fixes them after height adjustment, and the second pin 41 is provided with a fixing member (not shown) that fixes them after angle adjustment. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which only one of the angle adjustment means and the height adjustment means is provided.

[0028] Fig. 5(c) shows an example in which the angle α3 of the base 51 of the air nozzle 5 with respect to the horizontal plane is adjusted to 45 degrees by the angle adjustment means. Fig. 5(d) shows an example in which the angle α3 of the base 51 of the air nozzle 5 with respect to the horizontal plane is adjusted to 75 degrees by the angle adjustment means.

[0029] 6, in this embodiment, the air duct 4 is configured to follow the surface of the tea plants 31 and extend across the entire width of the ridges of the tea plants 31 that the portal frame 1 (see FIG. 1, etc.) straddles. For this reason, if the air nozzles 5 arranged at both ends of the air duct 4 were configured to extend diagonally downward in a straight line from the air duct 4, as in the air nozzle 5A' shown by the dashed dotted line, it would be difficult for air to be blown to the ends of the tea plants 31. Therefore, in this embodiment, the air nozzles 5A arranged at both ends of the air duct 4 are configured to have an outward tapered shape (with the lower part facing vertically).

[0030] Next, examples of the first to third pest control methods (first to third tea tree pest control methods) using the above-mentioned tea tree pest control device will be explained, divided into a period when new shoots have not yet grown from the tea tree crown and a period when new shoots have grown from the tea tree crown.

[0031] In the first tea tree control method, when new shoots have not yet grown from the tea plant crown, the angle α3 of the base 51 of the air blowing nozzle 5 is adjusted to approximately 45 degrees (specifically, 40 to 50 degrees) using the angle adjustment means, as shown in FIG. 5(c). If necessary, the height of the air blowing duct 4 is adjusted using the height adjustment means. Next, the traveling vehicle is driven into the vicinity of the starting end of the furrow of the tea plant to be treated. Next, the lifting unit 20 shown in FIG. 5(a) is raised and lowered, and the air blowing nozzle 5 is adjusted so that the outlet 52a is positioned within the tea plant crown 311 and the recovery port 9a is positioned above the tea plant 31, as shown in FIG. 7(a) (adjustment step). When new shoots have not yet grown from the tea plant crown, the height of the top of the tea plant crown 311 is the same as that of the tea plant 31. Specifically, the outlet 52a of the air blowing nozzle 5 is positioned 1 to 10 cm below the surface of the tea plant crown 311. This allows the outlet 52a of the blower nozzle 5 to be submerged deep into the leaf layer (layer of old, dark green leaves). If the blower nozzle 5 is inserted into the tea plant crown 311 to a height of about 10 cm, there is little risk of damaging the tea plant 31.

[0032] Next, the traveling vehicle body is caused to travel along the ridges across the tea plants 31 (traveling step). Specifically, the traveling device 2 is driven. Also, a chemical mixing, blowing, and recovery step is carried out in which air mixed with non-synthetic pesticides is blown out from the blowing outlet 52a and any scattered pesticides are recovered from the recovery outlet 9a. Specifically, the blowing fan 3 is operated and the supplying device 7 is started. The driving of the traveling device 2, the operation of the blowing fan 3, and the activation of the supplying device 7 may be started simultaneously or sequentially at a predetermined interval.

[0033] The air blown out from the outlet 52a of the blowing nozzle 5 separates foreign matter present near the crown surface, and the chemicals mixed in the blown air are broken down into fine particles that come into contact with and adhere to the crown surface. Foreign matter that has been separated from the tea plants 31 and scattered is collected into the collection bag 10 through the collection port 9a. Here, the air blowing direction of the outlet 52a is set at an upward angle α2 (see Figure 5(b)) of 5 to 60 degrees, so that foreign matter separated from the tea plants 31 can be efficiently sent toward the collection port 9a. In addition, the angle α3 of the base 51 of the blowing nozzle 5 is adjusted to about 45 degrees, so that contact resistance between the tea plants 31 and the blowing nozzle 5 can be reduced when the traveling vehicle is traveling.

[0034] When the blower nozzle 5 reaches the end of the ridge of tea plants 31, the blower fan 3 and supply device 7 are stopped, and the air blowing from the blower nozzle 5 and the supply of chemicals are stopped. The traveling vehicle moves outside the ridge of tea plants 31 and stops, and if the collection bag 10 is full, the collection bag 10 is replaced. Also, if there is insufficient chemicals remaining, additional chemicals are injected into the tank 6. Next, the traveling vehicle moves to the beginning end of the next ridge of tea plants to be treated, and this process is repeated until all the ridges of tea plants 31 to be treated have been treated.

[0035] When new shoots begin to sprout from the tea plant crown, the angle α3 of the base 51 of the air blowing nozzle 5 is adjusted to approximately 75 degrees (specifically, 70 to 80 degrees) using the angle adjustment means, as shown in FIG. 5(d). If necessary, the height of the air blowing duct 4 is adjusted using the height adjustment means. Next, the traveling vehicle drives into the vicinity of the starting end of the furrow of the tea plant 31 to be treated. Next, the lifting unit 20 shown in FIG. 5(a) is raised and lowered, and the air outlet 52a of the air blowing nozzle 5 is positioned within the tea plant crown 311, and the air blowing duct 4 and the recovery port 9a are positioned above the new shoots 312 (above the tea plant 31) (adjustment step), as shown in FIG. 7(b). This prevents the new shoots 312 from being knocked down by the air blowing duct 4 or the recovery port 9a, which could result in damage. Furthermore, by adjusting the angle α3 of the base 51 of the air blowing nozzle 5 to about 75 degrees, the air blowing duct 4 and the recovery port 9a can be positioned above the new sprouts 312, while the air outlet 52a can be submerged into the leaf layer.

[0036] After that, the traveling process and the chemical mixing, blowing, and collecting process can be carried out in the same way as when new shoots have not yet grown from the tea plant crown. According to this embodiment, the air blown out from the outlet 52a of the blowing nozzle 5 separates foreign matter present on the new shoots 312 and near the base of the new shoots on the crown surface, and the chemicals mixed in the blown out air are broken down into fine particles that come into contact with and adhere to the new shoots 312 and near the crown surface. The foreign matter that has separated from the tea plant 31 and scattered is collected into the collection bag 10 through the collection port 9a.

[0037] Furthermore, when the traveling vehicle travels during the traveling process, the sprouts 312 are knocked down once by the blowing nozzle 5, and then the sprouts 312 return to their original position after the blowing nozzle 5 has passed. For this reason, air and chemicals are blown out from the blowing outlet 52a of the blowing nozzle 5 toward the sprouts 312 after they have returned to their original position, and the distance S between the blowing outlet 52a and the collection outlet 9a shown in Figure 5(b) is set so that foreign matter that has been separated from the tea plants 31 and scattered can be collected from the collection outlet 9a.

[0038] In the second tea tree pest control method, water is stored in tank 6 instead of chemicals, and instead of the chemical mixing, blowing, and recovery process, a water mixing, blowing, and recovery process is carried out in which air mixed with water (mist) is blown out from outlet 52a and the scattered air is recovered from recovery port 9a.

[0039] In the third tea plant pest control method, instead of the chemical mixing, blowing, and collecting step, a blowing and collecting step is carried out in which air is blown out from the blowing outlet 52a of the blowing nozzle 5 and the chemicals scattered from the tea plants are collected from the collecting outlet 9a. Specifically, the operation of the blowing fan 3 is started simultaneously with the traveling step, or before or after the traveling step. [Example]

[0040] In Example 1, the first tea plant pest control method, implemented when new shoots emerge from the tea plant crown, is described using the tea green leafhopper as an example. The tea green leafhopper often emerges after the second harvest and causes damage such as yellowing, atrophy, browning, and growth inhibition of new shoots due to sap absorption. Therefore, the first tea plant pest control method was implemented from the budding stage to the growth stage of each tea season. In this example, Bemidetach (registered trademark, manufactured by Ishihara Biosciences Co., Ltd.), a pesticide containing acetylated glycerides as its main ingredient, was used, which is expected to be suitable for organic cultivation and export. Bemidetach was diluted with water according to the instructions and poured into a tank 6 mounted on a mobile vehicle. The flow meter of the supply device 7 was used to adjust the target spray rate (20 to 200 liters / 10 ares). In the first tea plant pest control method using this pesticide, the mobile vehicle was driven at a speed of approximately 0.46 meters / second, which is known to produce favorable results.

[0041] After entering the tea plant furrows, a process of mixing, blowing, and collecting chemicals was carried out, in which air mixed with chemicals was blown out from outlet 52a near the base of the new shoots 312 and the scattered air was collected from collection port 9a (see Figure 7(b)). When the air mixed with chemicals was blown out from outlet 52a, the tea green leafhoppers were blown away from the tea plants 31 by the air and collected from collection port 9a into collection bag 10. By spraying the chemical solution, the chemical solution remained on the new shoots 312 after they were trapped, preventing the tea green leafhoppers from attaching to the new shoots 312 and sucking the sap. [Example]

[0042] In Example 2, the first tea plant control method, implemented when new shoots emerge from the tea plant crown, is described using the example of tea tree thrips. The tea green leafhopper often emerges after the second harvest and causes damage such as suppressed shoot elongation and browning by sucking sap. Therefore, the first tea plant control method was implemented from the budding stage to the growing stage of each tea season. In this example, Spinoace® Flowable (manufactured by Corteva Agrisciences), a pesticide containing spinosad as its main ingredient, was used, which is suitable for organic cultivation and export. Spinoace Flowable was diluted with water according to the instructions and poured into a tank 6 mounted on a mobile vehicle. The flow meter on the supply device 7 was used to adjust the target spray rate (20-200 liters / 10 ares). In the first tea plant control method using this pesticide, the mobile vehicle was driven at a speed of approximately 0.46 meters per second, which is known to produce favorable results.

[0043] After entering the tea plant furrows, a pesticide mixing, blowing, and recovery process was carried out in which air mixed with pesticide was blown out from outlet 52a near the base of the new shoots 312 and the scattered air was recovered from recovery port 9a (see Figure 7(b)). When the air mixed with pesticide was blown out from outlet 52a, the yellow tea thrips were blown away from the tea plants 31 by the air and recovered from recovery port 9a into recovery bag 10. By spraying the pesticide solution, the pesticide solution remained on the new shoots 312 after they were trapped, preventing the yellow tea thrips from attaching to the new shoots 312 and sucking sap. [Example]

[0044] In Example 3, a second tea plant control method implemented when new shoots emerge from the tea plant crown will be described, using the example of the phylloxera aphid. The phylloxera aphid often emerges after the first tea harvest and causes damage such as shrinkage and growth inhibition of new shoots due to sap sucking. Therefore, the second tea plant control method was implemented from the budding stage of the autumn-winter bancha tea to the growing season. In this example, water was poured into a tank 6 mounted on the traveling vehicle, and the target spray rate (20 to 200 liters / 10 ares) was adjusted using a flow meter on the supply device 7. In the second tea plant control method using water (mist), the traveling vehicle was driven at a speed of approximately 0.46 meters / second, which is known to produce favorable results.

[0045] After entering the tea plant furrows, a water-mixed blowing and collecting process was carried out in which air mixed with water (mist) was blown out from the outlet 52a from near the base of the new shoots 312 and the scattered air was collected from the collection port 9a (see Figure 7(b)). When the air mixed with water (mist) was blown out from the outlet 52a, the aphids were blown away from the tea plants 31 by the blowing air and were collected into the collection bag 10 from the collection port 9a. [Example]

[0046] In Example 4, we will explain the first tea plant pest control method, which was implemented when new shoots emerged from the tea plant crown, using the artemisia moth as an example. Because the pests cause damage such as feeding on tea leaves, the first tea plant pest control method was implemented from the budding stage to the growing stage of each tea season. In this example, Spinoace Flowable, a pesticide suitable for organic cultivation and export, was used. Spinoace Flowable was diluted with water according to the instructions and poured into a tank 6 mounted on a mobile vehicle. The flow meter on the supply device 7 was used to adjust the target spray rate (20 to 200 liters / 10 ares). In the first tea plant pest control method using this pesticide, the mobile vehicle was driven at a speed of approximately 0.46 meters / second, which is known to produce favorable results.

[0047] After entering the tea plant furrows, a chemical-mixing, blowing, and collecting process was carried out, in which air mixed with chemicals was blown out from outlet 52a near the base of the new shoots 312 and the scattered air was collected from collection port 9a (see Figure 7(b)). When the air mixed with chemicals was blown out from outlet 52a, the Artemisia geometris was blown away from the tea plants 31 by the air blow and collected into collection bag 10 from collection port 9a. By spraying the chemical solution, the chemical solution remained on the new shoots 312 after trapping, preventing the Artemisia geometris from attaching to the new shoots 312 and feeding on the fresh tea leaves. This increases the yield of fresh tea leaves and improves the picking rate. [Example]

[0048] In Example 5, the first tea tree control method and the third tea tree control method will be explained using anthracnose, a typical disease, as an example. As mentioned above, anthracnose often occurs after the second harvest, and is accompanied by symptoms such as leaf wither, leaf drop, and reduced tree vigor. For this reason, it is desirable to carry out this work from the budding stage to the one-leaf stage of the first and second harvest. In this example, the third tea tree control method was carried out at the budding stage or one-leaf stage for both the first and second harvest. Furthermore, the first tea tree control method was carried out at the budding stage or one-leaf stage for the second harvest. The plot area was 10.8 m 2 The plots were 1.8 m x 6 m, and each plot was replicated twice. The chemical used in the first tea plant pest control method was Cuproshield (registered trademark, manufactured by Agro Kanesho Co., Ltd.), a copper wettable powder suitable for organic cultivation and export. Cuproshield was diluted 500 times with water and poured into a tank mounted on the vehicle. The flow meter on the supply device was adjusted in advance to the target spray rate (200 liters / 10 ares). The traveling speed of the vehicle was set to approximately 0.46 meters / second, which is known to produce favorable results.

[0049] Figure 8 is a graph showing the number of leaves infected with anthracnose for each tea plant control method compared with no treatment. The number of infected leaves was measured before the second tea harvest. As shown in Figure 8, by applying the first tea plant control method or the third tea plant control method at the budding stage of the first and second tea harvests, the occurrence of anthracnose was suppressed. Furthermore, since anthracnose infection of new leaves is thought to begin at the one-leaf stage, applying the first tea plant control method or the third tea plant control method at the budding stage and removing the infected leaves is thought to be effective in controlling anthracnose.

[0050] In the first tea tree control method, a chemical mixing, blowing, and collecting step was carried out in which, after entering the tea tree furrows, air mixed with the chemical was blown out from the blowing outlet 52a and the scattered chemicals were collected from the collection outlet 9a (see FIG. 7(b)). In the third tea tree control method, a chemical mixing, blowing, and collecting step was carried out in which, after entering the tea tree furrows, air was blown out from the blowing outlet 52a and the scattered chemicals were collected from the collection outlet 9a (see FIG. 7(b)). When the chemical mixed air or air was blown out from the blowing outlet 52a, the diseased leaves that had fallen into the leaf layer and the diseased leaves that remained in the leaf layer were separated from the leaf layer, and the separated diseased leaves were collected from the collection outlet 9a into the collection bag 10. In the first tea tree control method, the chemical solution blown out from the blowing outlet 52a was broken down by the wind and came into contact with and adhered to the tea tree crowns and new shoots, thereby exerting a control effect. In addition, it was possible to prevent the sprayed chemical solution from remaining on the new shoots 312, causing infection and disease in the subsequent new shoots 312. This increases the yield of fresh tea leaves for the second harvest and autumn / winter bancha, and improves the plucking rate. [Example]

[0051] In Example 6, the first tea tree control method and the second tea tree control method carried out during the autumn-winter tea season will be explained using the foliaceous aphid and the mugwort geometer as examples. In this example, the second tea tree control method was carried out against the foliaceous aphid, and the first tea tree control method and the second tea tree control method were carried out against the mugwort geometer (two treatments) during the one-leaf stage and the growing stage of the autumn-winter tea season (September to October). The plot area was 32.4 m 2The area was 1.8m x 6m x 3 rows, and each plot was replicated twice. The first tea plant control method consisted of a mixture of Spinoace Flowable diluted 4000 times with water and Bemidetac diluted 500 times with water. The target application rates for the mixture were 20 liters / 10 ares and 200 liters / 10 ares. The second tea plant control method also involved two target application rates: 20 liters / 10 ares and 200 liters / 10 ares. The vehicle's travel speed was approximately 0.46 meters / second, which has been shown to produce favorable results. For the investigation, 100 randomly selected shoots were picked 13 days after treatment and examined for damage caused by various pests. Table 1 shows the control efficacy against the phylloxera aphid, and Table 2 shows the control efficacy against the mugwort moth.

[0052] [Table 1]

[0053] [Table 2] As shown in Table 1, the second tea plant control method was found to be effective in preventing damage to the phylloxera aphid. Also, as shown in Table 2, the first tea plant control method was found to be effective in preventing damage to the mugwort geometrid. [Example]

[0054] Example 7 describes the removal of foreign matter using the third tea plant pest control method. Foreign matter on tea plants is present throughout the year, including fallen leaves and dust from the surrounding windbreak, and the presence of non-pest insects and weeds. If these foreign matter get mixed into the harvested tea leaves, it will lead to a deterioration in the quality of the tea product. Example 7 was carried out before pruning the first tea harvest. It is also preferable to remove foreign matter using the third tea plant pest control method after a typhoon. The traveling vehicle was run at a speed of approximately 0.3 meters per second, which is known to produce favorable results.

[0055] After entering the tea plant furrows, a blowing and collecting process was carried out in which air was blown out from the outlet 52a near the base of the new shoots 312 and any scattered debris was collected from the collection port 9a (see Figure 7(b)). When air was blown out from the outlet 52a, foreign matter on the crown of the tea tree was collected from the collection port 9a into the collection bag 10. As a result, approximately 96% of the foreign matter was removed. Therefore, by implementing the third tea plant pest control method for removing foreign matter, it is expected that manual removal of foreign matter will be significantly reduced. [Example]

[0056] In Example 8, we will explain the removal of foreign matter by the second tea plant control method carried out during the autumn-winter tea season. In this example, the treatment was carried out at the one-leaf stage during the autumn-winter tea season (September to October) (single treatment). The plot area was 32.4 m 2 The area was 1.8m x 6m x 3 rows, and each plot was replicated twice. The target water application rate was set at 20 liters per 10 ares, and the vehicle was driven at a speed of approximately 0.46 meters per second, which has been shown to produce favorable results. The investigation involved storing the pests collected in collection bags 10 after the second tea plant control method in a freezer (-20°C). After several days of storage, the fallen leaves and insects were carefully sorted, and the number of various pests and other insects captured was counted. Table 3 shows the number of diseased leaves and fallen leaves collected using the second tea plant control method. Table 4 shows the number of various pests collected using the second tea plant control method. Table 5 shows the number of other insects collected using the second tea plant control method.

[0057] [Table 3]

[0058] [Table 4]

[0059] [Table 5] As shown in Tables 3 to 5, the second tea plant control method recovered various pests such as anthracnose leaves, ring spot leaves, and tea green leafhoppers, as well as other fallen leaves other than diseased leaves. In tea plantations adjacent to woodlands, fallen leaves other than tea leaves are manually collected before picking, and this method could be used in such situations.

[0060] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims. Furthermore, even if a component element is included only in the description of each of the above-described embodiments, that component element may be applied to other embodiments. (Note) Another tea tree pest control device comprises a traveling vehicle body that travels across the tea trees and along the ridges, a blowing means that is provided on the traveling vehicle body and blows air from an outlet toward the tea trees, and a collecting means that is provided on the traveling vehicle body and collects from a collecting port anything that is blown off from the tea trees by the air blown out from the outlet, the air blowing means comprises an air blowing fan, an air blowing duct connected to the air blowing fan and extending in the ridge width direction of the tea plants, and a plurality of air blowing nozzles provided at predetermined intervals in the extending direction of the air blowing duct; the blower nozzle has a base portion extending downward or obliquely downward from the blower duct, and a blower portion directed obliquely upward from a lower end of the base, the blower portion having the blower outlet formed at a tip thereof, The recovery port is located diagonally above the air outlet, The blow-out outlet and the recovery outlet are configured so that, while maintaining their relative positions, the blow-out outlet is positioned 1 cm to 10 cm below the surface of the tea plant crown and the recovery outlet can be changed to a height above the tea plant, A pest control device for tea plants that can remove not only pests but also foreign matter such as diseased leaves and fallen leaves. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 100 Tea plant pest control device 1 Gate frame 2 Running gear 3. Blower fan 4. Ventilation duct 5. Air nozzle 6 Tank 7 Feeding device 8 Hose 9. Airflow induction duct 9a Collection port 10 Collection bags 11 Mounting table 21 Driver's seat 22 Control Unit 31 Tea tree 311 Tea tree crown 312 sprouts

Claims

1. The apparatus comprises a traveling vehicle body that travels over the tea plants and along the ridges, a blowing means that is provided on the traveling vehicle body and blows air from an outlet toward the tea plants, and a collecting means that is provided on the traveling vehicle body and collects from a collecting port anything that is scattered from the tea plants by the air blown out from the outlet, the air blowing means comprises an air blowing fan, an air blowing duct connected to the air blowing fan and extending in the ridge width direction of the tea plants, and a plurality of air blowing nozzles provided at predetermined intervals in the extending direction of the air blowing duct; the blower nozzle has a base portion extending downward or obliquely downward from the blower duct, and a blower portion directed obliquely upward from a lower end of the base, the blower portion having the blower outlet formed at a tip thereof, The recovery port is located diagonally above the air outlet, The air outlet blows air obliquely upward toward the collection port, The blow-out outlet and the recovery outlet are configured so that, while maintaining their relative positions, the blow-out outlet is positioned 1 cm to 10 cm below the surface of the tea plant crown and the recovery outlet can be changed to a height above the tea plant, It can remove not only pests but also diseased leaves, fallen leaves, and other foreign matter. Furthermore, an angle adjusting means for adjusting the angle of the air blowing duct by rotating it around an axis extending in the ridge width direction of the tea plant; a height adjusting means for adjusting the height of the air blower duct independently of the recovery port, The tea plant pest control device is characterized in that the blow-out port is located at a position sunk into the leaf layer 1 cm to 10 cm below the surface of the tea plant crown, and the angle and height of the blow-out port can be adjusted relative to the recovery port located above the tea plant.

2. A tea tree pest control device as described in Claim 1, characterized in that the air outlet is set so that the air blowing direction is 5 to 60 degrees upward from the horizontal plane.

3. Equipped with a chemical solution transfer and supply means, The pest control device for tea trees according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the chemical solution transfer and supply means comprises a tank for storing a non-chemically synthesized pesticide, and a supply device connected to the tank for mixing the non-chemically synthesized pesticide supplied from the tank with the air blown out from the outlet.

4. Equipped with water transfer supply means, The tea plant pest control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the water transfer and supply means comprises a tank for storing water, and a supply device connected to the tank for mixing the water supplied from the tank with the air blown out from the outlet.

5. A method for controlling tea plants using a tea plant control device, comprising: The tea plant pest control device is The apparatus comprises a traveling vehicle body that travels over the tea plants and along the ridges, a blowing means that is provided on the traveling vehicle body and blows air from an outlet toward the tea plants, and a collecting means that is provided on the traveling vehicle body and collects from a collecting port anything that is scattered from the tea plants by the air blown out from the outlet, the air blowing means comprises an air blowing fan, an air blowing duct connected to the air blowing fan and extending in the ridge width direction of the tea plants, and a plurality of air blowing nozzles provided at predetermined intervals in the extending direction of the air blowing duct; the blower nozzle has a base portion extending downward or obliquely downward from the blower duct, and a blower portion directed obliquely upward from a lower end of the base, the blower portion having the blower outlet formed at a tip thereof, The recovery port is located diagonally above the air outlet, The air outlet blows air obliquely upward toward the collection port, an adjusting step of adjusting the height of the air blowing duct independently of the recovery port and adjusting the height positions of the air blowing nozzle and the recovery means so that the air outlet is located within the tea plant crown 1 cm to 10 cm below the surface of the tea plant crown and the recovery port is located above the tea plant; a traveling step of causing the traveling vehicle body to travel along the ridges across the tea plants; a blowing and collecting step of blowing air out of the blowing outlet and collecting diseased leaves scattered from the tea plant through the collection opening.

6. A method for controlling tea plants using a tea plant control device, comprising: The tea plant pest control device is The apparatus comprises a traveling vehicle body that travels over the tea plants and along the ridges, a blowing means that is provided on the traveling vehicle body and blows air from an outlet toward the tea plants, and a collecting means that is provided on the traveling vehicle body and collects from a collecting port anything that is scattered from the tea plants by the air blown out from the outlet, the air blowing means comprises an air blowing fan, an air blowing duct connected to the air blowing fan and extending in the ridge width direction of the tea plants, and a plurality of air blowing nozzles provided at predetermined intervals in the extending direction of the air blowing duct; the blower nozzle has a base portion extending downward or obliquely downward from the blower duct, and a blower portion directed obliquely upward from a lower end of the base, the blower portion having the blower outlet formed at a tip thereof, The recovery port is located diagonally above the air outlet, The air outlet blows air obliquely upward toward the collection port, Further, a chemical solution transfer and supply means is provided, The chemical liquid transferring and supplying means includes a tank for storing a non-chemically synthesized pesticide, and a supplying device connected to the tank for mixing the non-chemically synthesized pesticide supplied from the tank with the air blown out from the outlet, an adjusting step of adjusting the height of the air blowing duct independently of the recovery port and adjusting the height positions of the air blowing nozzle and the recovery means so that the air outlet is located within the tea plant crown 1 cm to 10 cm below the surface of the tea plant crown and the recovery port is located above the tea plant; a traveling step of causing the traveling vehicle body to travel along the ridges across the tea plants; A method for controlling tea trees, characterized by comprising a chemical mixing, blowing and recovering process in which air mixed with a non-synthetic pesticide is blown out of the outlet by the supply device and the scattered diseased leaves are recovered from the recovery port.

7. A method for controlling tea plants using a tea plant control device, comprising: The tea plant pest control device is The apparatus comprises a traveling vehicle body that travels over the tea plants and along the ridges, a blowing means that is provided on the traveling vehicle body and blows air from an outlet toward the tea plants, and a collecting means that is provided on the traveling vehicle body and collects from a collecting port anything that is scattered from the tea plants by the air blown out from the outlet, the air blowing means comprises an air blowing fan, an air blowing duct connected to the air blowing fan and extending in the ridge width direction of the tea plants, and a plurality of air blowing nozzles provided at predetermined intervals in the extending direction of the air blowing duct; the blower nozzle has a base portion extending downward or obliquely downward from the blower duct, and a blower portion directed obliquely upward from a lower end of the base, the blower portion having the blower outlet formed at a tip thereof, The recovery port is located diagonally above the air outlet, The air outlet blows air obliquely upward toward the collection port, Further, a water transfer supply means is provided, the water transfer and supply means includes a tank that stores water, and a supply device that is connected to the tank and mixes the water supplied from the tank with the air blown out from the outlet, an adjusting step of adjusting the height of the air blowing duct independently of the recovery port and adjusting the height positions of the air blowing nozzle and the recovery means so that the air outlet is located within the tea plant crown 1 cm to 10 cm below the surface of the tea plant crown and the recovery port is located above the tea plant; a traveling step of causing the traveling vehicle body to travel along the ridges across the tea plants; A water-mixed blowing and collecting process in which air mixed with water is blown out from the outlet by the supply device and the scattered diseased leaves are collected from the collection port.

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