Abstract
The optimization of the water volume used to apply pesticides with airblast sprayers is key to reducing water footprint, costs, operational time and drift of pesticides. This study evaluated a new tool (CitrusVol) that adjusts the spray volume to the characteristics of the vegetation and the pesticide used to control the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae in clementine trees. This mite is one of the main citrus pests because it damages fruit before harvest. For this aim, a total of 20 applications against T. urticae were evaluated during two consecutive years in seven commercial orchards. In these orchards, we evaluated: (i) the distribution of the spray in tree canopies, (ii) pest density before and after the treatment, and (iii) fruit damage at harvest when conventional volumes and volumes adjusted with CitrusVol were applied. On average, CitrusVol reduced 36% the water volume used to control T. urticae in the 20 applications. This reduction in the spray volume involved a decrease in the coverage in some parts of the canopy. However, T. urticae density and fruit damage at harvest were similar in trees treated with the adjusted volume calculated with CitrusVol and the volume used by the owners of the orchard. Therefore, the spray volume recommended by CitrusVol is adequate to control T. urticae in clementines.
Highlights
The two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) is one of the most important citrus pests in Mediterranean citrus [1,2]
T. urticae density and fruit damage at harvest were similar in trees treated with the adjusted volume calculated with CitrusVol and the volume used by the owners of the orchard
Several studies have shown that reducing spray volume does not decrease the efficacy of the application against citrus pests with different biology: citrus rust mite Phyllocoptruta oleivora (Ashmead) [13,14], citrus mealybug Planococcus citri Risso [15], California red scale Aonidiella aurantii
Summary
The two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) is one of the most important citrus pests in Mediterranean citrus [1,2]. This reduction affects both the amount and the distribution of pesticide in the canopy, and it is necessary to ensure that an adequate control of the pest is maintained In this sense, several studies have shown that reducing spray volume does not decrease the efficacy of the application against citrus pests with different biology: citrus rust mite Phyllocoptruta oleivora (Ashmead) [13,14], citrus mealybug Planococcus citri Risso [15], California red scale Aonidiella aurantii. The Valencian Institute of Agricultural Research (Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, IVIA) has developed a tool (CitrusVol) to optimize the water volume of the applications with an airblast sprayer [21] This tool adjusts the volume according to the characteristics of the vegetation (canopy volume, planting pattern, vegetation density and pruning level), the target pest and to the PPP. The efficacy of water volumes recommended by CitrusVol was compared with the efficacy of volumes used by farmers in seven orchards and during two consecutive years
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