Off‐target glyphosate from aerial silvicultural applications, and buffer zones required around sensitive areas

Abstract

AbstractOff‐target glyphosate deposits were measured downwind of aerial silvicultural applications which used D8‐46 hollow‐cone hydraulic nozzles, ‘Micronair’ AU 5000 rotary atomisers, and the ‘Thru Valve Boom’ (030), with volume application rates of 35, 20 and 20 litre ha−1 respectively, and a glyphosate application rate of 2·1 kg ha−1. Crosswind spray lines were released 10 m above ground level over a short forest canopy, from a fixed‐wing aircraft flying at 45 m s 1 in atmospheric boundary layers with average wind speeds and air temperatures of 2·2‐3·7 m s−1 and 8‐23°C at release height. Ground sheets and artificial foliage clusters were exposed at downwind distances of between 50 and 300 m. Glyphosate deposit measurements at various downwind distances (x) were fitted with non‐linear regression lines; deposits were attenuated at rates inversely proportional to x at powers of 1·3‐2·3. For a particular trial, deposits on ground sheets and artificial foliage were generally similar, and ranged between 19 and 0·04 mg m−2 over the sampling distances used. For 100‐ha applications the estimated buffer‐zone widths around water bodies were less than 50 m, whereas those around non‐target vegetation ranged between 75 and 1200 m, depending on the application method and the meteorological conditions.