Plant nursery operators, environmentalists and natural resource managers are gathering in Boring this week for field demonstrations of a new “smart sprayer” that could dramatically reduce pesticide applications.

The sprayer uses laser sensors to detect plant height, width and volume and adjusts the flow of pesticide from spray nozzles accordingly. A model tested last year reduced pesticide use by 65 percent while still controlling pests. Reducing pesticide use could also save nurseries money.

The sprayer was developed by a team of researchers from Oregon State University, Ohio State University, the University of Tennessee and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Application Technology Research Unit.