Abstract
Prolific growth of weeds, especially when followed by abundant rainfall, is common in Texas farmlands during early winter and progresses into spring when farmers begin chiseling and disking operations for spring-seeded cropping. This research sought to develop aerial application technologies designed to control unwanted vegetation in croplands left fallow until spring. The aerial nozzles used in the study were conventional hydraulic (CP), rotary atomizer, and electrostatically (ES) charged nozzles. Glyphosate at 0.4145 kg ae·ha−1 was applied on weeds using a fixed-wing aircraft equipped with various aerial nozzles used as treatments. The spray application rate for the conventional and rotary atomizer nozzles was 28.1 L·ha−1, while that for the ES charged nozzle was 9.4 L·ha−1. Aerial and ground-based remote sensing and visual estimates quantified weed vigor and canopy health. Both the CP and rotary atomizer nozzles were efficacious in suppressing weeds. ES charged on nozzles at one-third of the spray application rate of the CP and the rotary atomizer nozzles were equally effective in reducing weed vigor. More aerially applied replicated field research trials conducted over time and space are needed to unravel the differences between aerial spray nozzle technologies for controlling weed populations in Texas farmlands.
Highlights
Glyphosate (Roundup® ), a broad-spectrum herbicide, is used extensively for weed control in production agriculture as well as in urban, industrial, and recreational areas throughout the world.It inhibits the synthesis of the plant growth hormone, EPSPS synthase, through the shikimate pathway and results in metabolic disruption and death of the plant [1]
The DV0.5 spray droplets deposited on an artificial collector were 238, 247, and 326 μm for the electrostatically charged, the CP, and the rotary atomizer nozzles, respectively
The ground-based remote sensing data showed that the CP and ES charged on nozzles effectively reduced weed vigor during year one and two of the study
Summary
Glyphosate (Roundup® ), a broad-spectrum herbicide, is used extensively for weed control in production agriculture as well as in urban, industrial, and recreational areas throughout the world. It inhibits the synthesis of the plant growth hormone, EPSPS synthase, through the shikimate pathway and results in metabolic disruption and death of the plant [1]. Excessive reliance on glyphosate, combined with inadequate weed management practices, has increased selection pressure, and facilitated the evolution of natural resistance to glyphosate among several weed species, including those that are generally more tolerant to the herbicide [2,3]. The evaluation of aerial application methods to optimize application technology for weed management in field crops is fundamental to increasing spray deposits on target sites for maximum The emergence of weed shifts towards species that are difficult to control has transformed weed abundance and species diversity in many field crops [4,5].
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