Emanuele Cerruto

Associate Professor of Agricultural machinery and mechanization [AGR/09]

Born on 29/10/64 in Modica (RG), Emanuele Cerruto graduated in Electrical Engineering in 1990 and obtained his PhD in 1995. Researcher at the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Catania (Disciplinary Group G03) in March 1994, he began work at the Institute of Agricultural Mechanics. Having obtained a permanent post in April 1997, he is now part of the scientific disciplinary sector AGR/09 - Agricultural Mechanics. Full time associate professor at the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Catania since 01/11/05, he is now member of the Dipartimento di Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente (Di3A). On April 2018 he was declared able at full professor.

Since 1999/2000 he has been member of the academic body responsible for the PhD in Agricultural Mechanics and Mechanisation, since 2000/2001 the one for Agricultural Engineering, since 2008/2009 the international one for Agricultural Engineering, and since 2016/2017 the international one for Agricultural, food and environmental science, all based at the University of Catania.

From 2009 up to 2012 he was President of the Internship Commission for the Degree in Food Science and Technology and from 2008 up to 2018 he was member of the Research Board of the Department. He is now reference Professor for the Degree in Food Science and Technology and member of the board for Quality Management (AQ) for the Degree in Food Science and Technology and the Degree in Agricultural Science and Technology.

At present he teaches on the Degree in Food Science and Technology, where he is responsible for the module “Mechanics and Machines” (three-year degree course) and on the Degree in Agricultural Science and Technology, where he is responsible for the course “Technologies for innovation and safety in agriculture” (graduate degree course).

He has presented papers at numerous conferences, congresses and seminars. He is responsible for and a member of several research units involved in national programmes financed by MIUR (safety of agricultural machinery, plant protection, operator’s safety). He is the co-author of abaut 200 papers, many of which have been read at national and international conferences and published in specialised journals.

Last edit: 03/12/2024

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Academic Year 2017/2018


Academic Year 2016/2017


Academic Year 2015/2016

His research activity deals with:

  • Research and study regarding operator safety on work places:
    • Chopping and shredding of dead branches (exposure to vibration, noise, flying material);
    • Portable harvesters for drupe harvesting (exposure to vibration, noise);
    • Agricultural activities (exposure to vibration, noise, COV, dust);
    • Harvesting machinery and packaging and transformation centres;
    • Pesticide application (operator’s exposure and environmental pollution).
  • Research and study on post-harvest of fruit and vegetables:
    • Study of packing lines of oranges, potatoes, cactus pears, with the IS100 and PMS60 instrumented spheres to measure the impacts received by products;
    • Laboratory study regarding damage caused by repeated impacts on the same area of the surface of oranges and cactus pears.
  • Research and study regarding pesticide application:
    • Treatments in citrus groves: study of covered surface and number of stains per square centimetre at varying type of spraying machine and its regulation (volume and airflow rate, forward speed, pulverisation method);
    • Treatments in greenhouses: study of foliar spray deposition, covered surface, stains per square centimetre in tomato crops, according to the type of sprayer (spray gun, portable atomiser, pulsfog, insectojet, kwh, self-propelled sprayer);
    • Treatments in vineyards (espalier and “tendone”): study of the effects on foliar spray deposition of forward speed, air flow rate, volume rate and electrostatic charge.
    • Control and inspection of sprayers: study regarding the possibility of using spray patternators as tools for the preventive calibration of sprayers;
    • Study of prototypes of sprayers able to reduce the environmental impact of pesticides (tunnel sprayer for pesticide application in goblet vineyards) and able to improve the operator safety (self propelled sprayer for pesticide applications in greenhouses);
    • Theoretical study of sprays by means of simulation of water sensitive papers (study of the relationship between spray parameters, superficial coverage and spray deposit);
    • Spray characterisation by means of laboratory measurements using a purposely designed test bench.
  • Research and study regarding energy aspects in agro industries:
    • Energetic valorisation of wastes and by-products;
    • Use of digestate in field.