A comparison of the performance and biological efficiency of new knapsack sprayers and a controlled droplet application (CDA) sprayer for the control of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera : Plutellidae)

Field trials and laboratory bioassays were undertaken to compare the performance and efficacy (mortality of diamondback moth larvae) of insecticides applied to cabbages with three high volume hydraulic knapsack sprayers (NS-16, PB-20 and Selecta 12V) and a controlled droplet application (CDA) sprayer. In field experiments, the high volume knapsack sprayers (application rate 500-600 L ha(-1)) provided better spray coverage on the upper and lower surfaces of inner leaves, the upper surfaces of middle and outer leaves, and greater biological efficacy than the CDA sprayer (application rate 20similar to40 L ha(-1)). The PB-20 provided better spray coverage on the upper surface of middle leaves and both surfaces of outer leaves when compared with the Selecta 12V. However, its biological efficacy in the field was not significantly different from that of the other high volume sprayers. Increasing the application rate from 20 to 40 L ha(-1) for the CDA sprayer significantly increased droplet density but had no impact on test insect mortality. Laboratory evaluations of biological efficacy yielded higher estimates than field evaluations and there was no significant difference between the performance of the PB-20 and the CDA sprayer. Significant positive relationships were detected between insect mortality and droplet density deposited for both the PB-20 and the CDA sprayers.

Periodic inspection of sprayers: diagnostic to the northern of Paraná

To optimize the use of pesticides, several countries have carried out periodic inspections in agricultural sprayers. In Brazil, knowing the conditions of this machinery canguide researches and investments in guidelines for its use and maintenance. The objective of this study was to verify the state of sprayer maintenance used in the North of the state of Paraná, in Brazil. Several sprayer items were evaluated, such as: presence, status and scale of the manometer, status of the hose, status of the anti-drip component, presence of leaks, status of the bar, status of the filters, state of the spraying nozzles and errors in the targeted flow rate. Machines were named as approved when there was no failure in any item evaluated. The factor that caused the biggest level of reprove among the machines was incorrect scale of manometers, which reproved 84.55% of the machines evaluated. Other outstanding factor was the incorrect flow rate in 75.5% of the tested machines. Only one unit was approved from the total of 110 evaluated sprayers.

Drift from the use of handheld knapsack pesticide sprayers in Boyacá (Colombian Andes)

Offsite pesticide losses in tropical mountainous regions have been little studied. One example is measuring pesticide drift soil deposition, which can support pesticide risk assessment for surface water, soil, bystanders, off target plants and fauna. This is considered a serious gap, given the evidence of pesticide-related poisoning in those regions. Empirical data of drift deposition of a pesticide surrogate, Uranine tracer, within one of the highest potato producing regions in Colombia, characterized by small plots and mountain orography, is presented. High drift values encountered in our study reflect the actual spray conditions using handled knapsack sprayers. Comparison between measured and predicted drift values using three existing empirical equations showed important underestimation. However, after their optimization based on measured drift information, the equations showed a strong predictive power for this study area and the study conditions. The most suitable curve to assess mean relative drift was the IMAG calculator after optimization.

Performance evaluation on electronic control systemsfor field sprayers using programmable logic controllers

The aim of this study was to develop a laboratory method for time response evaluation on electronically controlled spray equipment using Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs). For that purpose, a PLC controlled digital drive inverter was set up to drive an asynchronous electric motor linked to a centrifugal pump on a experimental sprayer equipped with electronic flow control. The PLC was operated via RS232 serial communication from a PC computer. A user program was written to control de motor by adjusting the following system variables, all related to the motor speed: time stopped; ramp up and ramp down times, time running at a given constant speed and ramp down time to stop the motor. This set up was used in conjunction with a data acquisition system to perform laboratory tests with an electronically controlled sprayer. Time response for pressure stabilization was measured while changing the pump speed by +/-20%. The results showed that for a 0.2 s ramp time increasing the motor speed, as an example, an AgLogix Flow Control system (Midwest Technologies Inc.) took 22 s in average to readjust the pressure. When decreasing the motor speed, this time response was down to 8 s. General results also showed that this kind of methodology could make easier the definition of standards for tests on electronically controlled application equipment.

Periodic inspection on crop sprayers: Results according to age of sprayers

The objectives of the IPP Project-Periodic Inspection on Crop Sprayers-are to develop methods for sprayer certification, analyze quality on spray operation, propose an inspection system for crop sprayers in Brazil, improve environmental quality on spray operation, and reduce costs on chemical control for plant protection systems. Periodic inspections on crop sprayers are performed in several countries and are compulsory in most of them, and it is becoming an important tool for improvement and optimization of use of chemicals. The IPP Project in Brazil is funded by FAPESP-Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo. The results so far showed that all the sprayers presented failures. However, most of them could be approved with minor services. As an example, 56.6% of the sprayers with more than 2 years of use presented leaks, 47% of them had damaged hoses and 80.5% presented bad tips (nozzles). These results indicate the need for better procedures of use and maintenance of sprayers, justifying the periodic inspection system.

Periodic inspection of sprayers: diagnostic to the northern of Paraná

Para a otimização no uso de agroquímicos, vários países têm realizado inspeções periódicas em pulverizadores agrícolas. No Brasil, o conhecimento do estado destas máquinas pode nortear pesquisas e investimentos em orientação de uso e de manutenção das mesmas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar o estado de manutenção de pulverizadores em uso para a região norte do Estado do Paraná. Foram avaliados itens como: presença, estado e escala do manômetro, estado das mangueiras, estado dos antigotejadores, presença de vazamentos, estado da barra, estado dos filtros, estado das pontas de pulverização e erros na taxa de aplicação. As máquinas foram caracterizadas como aprovadas quando não havia falha em nenhum item avaliado. O fator que ocasionou o maior índice de reprova entre as máquinas foi a escala incorreta do manômetro, que reprovou 84,55% das máquinas avaliadas. Outro fator de destaque foi a taxa de aplicação incorreta em 75,5% das máquinas. do total dos 110 pulverizadores avaliados,apenas uma unidade foi aprovada.

Evaluation of hose-end sprayers used for applying liquid pesticides /

Mode of access: Internet.

Proposta metodológica utilizando ferramentas de qualidade na avaliação do processo de pulverização

The present work aimed to create a methodology to evaluate the pulverization process with the use of quality tools. It was listed the primary factors, secondary factors, tertiary factors and, with the check list tool support, the list was elaborated. It was evaluated the factors labor, agriculture machine, material and method of 32 pulverization process before pesticide application, in that each factor received a punctuation, having as total sum of 750 points. The medium punctuation to the factors labor, agriculture machine, material and method was 78; 211; 49; 20 and 94 points, respectively. The sum of the factors points for the 32 processes, the minimum value found was 230 and maximum was 620 points. With the proposed methodology, can be identify which common causes of the processes can affect its result.

Effectiveness of two systems for the spraying of pesticides in citrus trees

Citriculture normally uses high application volumes in pesticide solutions (of 2.000 to 5.000 L ha(-1)) to control pests and diseases that affect the crop, which generates an increase in operational costs. For this reason, diverse systems of application are being developed to reduce application volumes and improve the uniformity of pesticide deposition. The goal of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of two application systems of pesticides in citrus trees. One system used a prototype for terrestrial application with rotary disc atomizers that are widely used in agricultural aviation, and the other system used hollow cone tip hydraulics. For the treatment of the trees the insecticide Metidation was used at the dose of 180 gr per hectare. To study the droplet spectrum, water-sensitive papers were installed at different positions in the trees canopy, and for the study of insecticide deposition leaves of the treated plants were collected. The water-sensitive papers were collected and analyzed using a computerized image analysis system (e-Sprinkle, EMBRAPA, Sao Paulo, Brazil), and the leaves analyzed by the technique of gas chromatography. Pesticide deposition was similar in both application system, although the solution volume used by the application system equipped with rotary disc atomizers was one quarter of the volume used by the application system equipped with hydraulic tips, reducing considerably the cost of the phytosanitary treatments.

Susceptibility to diazinon in populations of the horn fly, Haematobia irritans (Diptera: Muscidae), in Central Brazil

From October 2000 to April 2001, insecticide bioassays were conducted in 18 ranches from 10 counties in the states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, in Central Brazil. Horn flies from wild populations were exposed to diazinon-impregnated filter papers immediately after collection on cattle, and mortality was recorded after 2 h. A high susceptibility to diazinon was observed in all tested populations. The LC50s ranged from 0.15 to 0.64 µg/cm², and resistance ratios were always lower than one (ranging 0.1-0.6). Pyrethroid products, most applied by backpack sprayers, have been used since the horn fly entered the region, about 10 years ago. The high susceptibility observed to diazinon indicates that this insecticide (as probably other organophosphate insecticides) represents an useful tool for horn fly control and resistance management, particularly in pyrethroid-resistant populations.

Evaluation of Virtual Reality Snowplow Simulator Training: A Literature Review, September 2006

Each winter, the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) maintenance operators are primarily responsible for plowing snow off federal and state roads. Drivers typically work long shifts under treacherous conditions. In addition to properly navigating the vehicle, drivers are required to operate several plowing mechanisms simultaneously, such as plow controls and salt sprayers. However, operators have few opportunities during the year to practice and refine their skills. An ideal training program would provide operators with the opportunity to practice these skills under realistic yet safe conditions, as well as provide basic training to novice or less-experienced operators. Recent technological advancements have made driving simulators a desirable training and research tool. This literature review discusses much of the recent research establishing simulator fidelity and espousing its applicability. Additionally, this report provides a summary of behavioral and eye tracking research involving driving simulators. Other research topics include comparisons between novice and expert drivers’ behavioral patterns, methods for avoiding cybersickness in virtual environments, and a synopsis of current personality measures with respect to job performance and driving performance. This literature review coincides with a study designed to examine the effectiveness of virtual reality snowplow simulator training for current maintenance operators, using the TranSim VS III truck and snowplow simulator recently purchased by the Iowa DOT.

Calibration of angles of nozzles and deposition of an axial-flow sprayer on dwarf cashew

The study aimed to determine an optimum angle for the nozzles axial-flow sprayers a deposition for better vertical distribution focused on cashew. In laboratory tests were conducted adjusting the angle of the nozzle axial-flow sprayers. The experimental design was randomized blocks in a 2x3 factorial with four replications. The treatment for this test were two settings (with and without the adjustment of the angles of the nozzles ) and tree application volumes 273, 699 and 954 L ha-¹.The study was conducted in an orchard of dwarf cashew, with eight years of age. It was concluded that the volumetric distribution profile showed better vertical distribution uniformity when the angles of the nozzles were regulated for the canopy, the adjustment of the angles of the nozzles for the canopy provided greater deposition of droplets, the increased volume of application resulted in higher depositions in the leaves of the crop.

Proof of concept of automated mapping of weeds in arable fields

The project investigated whether it would be possible to remove the main technical hindrance to precision application of herbicides to arable crops in the UK, namely creating geo-referenced weed maps for each field. The ultimate goal is an information system so that agronomists and farmers can plan precision weed control and create spraying maps. The project focussed on black-grass in wheat, but research was also carried out on barley and beans and on wild-oats, barren brome, rye-grass, cleavers and thistles which form stable patches in arable fields. Farmers may also make special efforts to control them. Using cameras mounted on farm machinery, the project explored the feasibility of automating the process of mapping black-grass in fields. Geo-referenced images were captured from June to December 2009, using sprayers, a tractor, combine harvesters and on foot. Cameras were mounted on the sprayer boom, on windows or on top of tractor and combine cabs and images were captured with a range of vibration levels and at speeds up to 20 km h-1. For acceptability to farmers, it was important that every image containing black-grass was classified as containing black-grass; false negatives are highly undesirable. The software algorithms recorded no false negatives in sample images analysed to date, although some black-grass heads were unclassified and there were also false positives. The density of black-grass heads per unit area estimated by machine vision increased as a linear function of the actual density with a mean detection rate of 47% of black-grass heads in sample images at T3 within a density range of 13 to 1230 heads m-2. A final part of the project was to create geo-referenced weed maps using software written in previous HGCA-funded projects and two examples show that geo-location by machine vision compares well with manually-mapped weed patches. The consortium therefore demonstrated for the first time the feasibility of using a GPS-linked computer-controlled camera system mounted on farm machinery (tractor, sprayer or combine) to geo-reference black-grass in winter wheat between black-grass head emergence and seed shedding.