Season Long Pest Management Efficacy and Spray Characteristics of a Solid Set Canopy Delivery System in High Density Apples.

Matthew J Grieshop,John Wise,Paul Owen-Smith

doi:10.3390/insects10070193

Abstract

Solid set canopy delivery systems (SSCDS) are a novel foliar agrochemical delivery system designed as an alternative for airblast sprayers in high density fruit production. This study tested the pest management potential, coverage, and chemical deposition of an SSCDS using commercially available microsprinkler components over the course of a growing season. Spray coverage and deposition for a representative airblast sprayer and SSCDS were evaluated using water sensitive paper and tartrazine dye, respectively. Foliar sprays for pest suppression were applied through both systems, and damage assessments were taken at the midpoint and end of the growing season. SSCDS sprays demonstrated similar levels of coverage on the adaxial leaf surface as airblast sprays, but significantly lower coverage on the abaxial surface. However, mean levels of foliar chemical deposition was generally higher in the SSCDS. Evaluations found minimal arthropod and fungal damage in both airblast and SSCDS treated plots compared to untreated trees. The SSCDS was shown to be a viable alternative to the airblast, with inherent advantages such as rapid application time and improved worker safety. Furthermore, higher deposition on SSCDS treated foliage supports the hypothesis that SSCDS provide a higher droplet capture rate in the canopy, with less off-target loss and drift than airblast sprayers.

Highlights

Solid Set Canopy Delivery Systems (SSCDS) represent a novel agrochemical application technology for high-density fruit production
A prototype SSCDS provided comparable season-long pest management to an airblast sprayer coverage and deposition varied greatly between the two agrochemical delivery platforms. Both coverage and deposition were more variable in the SSCDS suggesting that it is a less consistent application technology
Adaxial percentage coverage was largely comparable between the two systems but abaxial coverage was much lower in the SSCDS

Summary

Introduction

Solid Set Canopy Delivery Systems (SSCDS) represent a novel agrochemical application technology for high-density fruit production. SSCDS consist of a series of stationary microsprayers that are distributed throughout the orchard and fed from a common pumping station This technology promises a rapid and precise method of chemical application, while removing personnel and heavy machinery from the orchard during pesticide applications. More recent research by Agnello and Landers [7] evaluated an SSCDS composed of a large number of low-cost plastic micro-sprinklers and pressure gated valves. This proof of concept has been expanded on by Sharda et al, and Owen-Smith et al, with results suggesting that a SSCDS could replace airblast spray application in high-density orchards [8,9,10]

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