Effect of Emitter Modifications on Spray Performance of a Solid Set Canopy Delivery System in a High-Density Apple Orchard

Rakesh Ranjan, Rajeev Sinha, Lav R. Khot, Gwen-Alyn Hoheisel, Matthew J. Grieshop and Mark Ledebuhr
Additional contact information
Rakesh Ranjan: Center for Precision and Automated Agricultural Systems, Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Prosser, WA 99350, USA
Rajeev Sinha: Center for Precision and Automated Agricultural Systems, Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Prosser, WA 99350, USA
Lav R. Khot: Center for Precision and Automated Agricultural Systems, Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Prosser, WA 99350, USA
Gwen-Alyn Hoheisel: Center for Precision and Automated Agricultural Systems, Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Prosser, WA 99350, USA
Matthew J. Grieshop: Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lancing, MI 48824, USA
Mark Ledebuhr: Application Insight, LLC, Lansing, MI 48906, USA

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 23, 1-18

Abstract: Optimally configured solid set canopy delivery systems (SSCDS) can provide adequate spray performance in high-density apple orchards with a minimized risk of off-target pesticide drift. SSCDS configured in a shower-down emitter arrangement have been reported to be the simplest and most economical system. However, existing off-the-shelf emitters used in shower-down configurations have resulted in minimal deposition in lower canopy zones. Therefore, this study was focused on the modifications of off-the-shelf emitters to obtain a desirable spray pattern for adequate spray deposition in all the canopy zones. The modifications include redesigning the impact plate of two existing micro-emitters. Field tests were conducted to evaluate the spray performance of SSCDS with the non-modified emitters (treatment: SD1 and SD3) and contrast the results with modified emitters (treatment: SD2 and SD4). While the treatments SD1 and SD3 had off-the-shelf emitters with swivel plate and static spreader, respectively, the treatment SD2 and SD4 had similar emitters with modified impactor plates. In each treatment block, the apple canopy was divided into six zones and sprayed with a 500 ppm fluorescent tracer solution. Mylar cards and water-sensitive paper samplers were placed on the adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces in each canopy zone to quantify spray deposition and coverage, respectively. The SSCDS treatments retrofitted with modified emitters, i.e., SD2 and SD4, were observed to have uniform and numerically higher deposition and coverage compared to SD1 and SD3. The SSCDS treatment with modified static spreader (i.e., SD4) resulted in the highest overall spray deposition (1405.7 ± 156.4 ng cm −2 [mean ± standard error]) with improved mid (1121.6 ± 186.9 ng cm −2 ) and bottom (895.6 ± 149.3 ng cm −2 ) canopy deposition. Overall, the proposed emitter modification assisted in improved SSCDS spray performances and may be a way forward toward large-scale emplacements of such systems.

Keywords: fixed spray delivery system; sustainable pesticide application; off-target drift; hydraulic spray delivery; fluorometry (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/23/13248/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/23/13248/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:23:p:13248-:d:691440

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().