Mapping potential exposure to drift of plant protection products*

Abstract

A proposal for a practical, site‐specific approach for farmers has been developed to fulfil the drift restrictions and directions imposed on a registered plant protection product. The approach is based on exposure potential maps, primarily taking account of regional and local application conditions that reduce non‐target exposure. Firstly, the maps are focused on the spray drift exposure pathway. Using geographically referenced data, we have developed four exposure indicators that allow classification of potential non‐target exposure on the basis of local application conditions. This enables us to manage product application restrictions on a field‐to‐field basis by means of the exposure class to which each field is assigned. This easy‐to‐understand information can be distributed as paper maps or as digital maps to the farmer. The farmer himself no longer needs to assess whether local conditions reduce non‐target exposure. All calculations are carried out using very detailed topographic data which suit scales from 1:10 000 to 1:25 000. Processing and analysis of the GeoData is realized through GIS technology.