Dose expression and use of Leaf Wall Area (LWA) with improved application techniques in fruit crops

Barcelona, 6 & 7 November 2018

Marcel Wenneker & Jan van de Zande

Fruit crop spraying in The Netherlands

2

Introduction

Research program “Innovative Efficient Application Techniques - IEAT” (PPS-KV1406044) ● Partners: Agro-Chem Ind., Government, fruit growers

organization, water boards, sprayer manufacturers

Improve quality of spray application by: ● Air amount and air distribution ● Nozzle type and position ● Liquid distribution

First steps: quantify the liquid distribution in trees: ● standard orchard cross-flow sprayer ● multiple row sprayer ● tunnel sprayer

3

IEAT research

Project started in 2015. Single, Multiple row, Tunnel sprayers

● continuous air slot, spouts ● nozzle type (ATR, TVI) ● air assistance (High, Low) ● spray deposition

Improved deposition => lower dose rate (maintaining threshold deposition => Q for AC-industry). Biological efficacy; Spray drift

measurements; Registration procedures!

Experiments

Reference sprayer (Munckhof) 1. standard – conventional cross-flow fan sprayer (Munckhof); Albuz ATR lilac at 7 bar spray pressure (Very Fine spray quality).

Two row tunnel and Multiple row orchard sprayer to spray two tree rows from both sides (Lochmann, Munckhof) Albuz ATR Lilac nozzles, 7 bar, VF (High/Low air)

Albuz TVI 8001 nozzles , 7 bar, C (High/Low air)

Measuring spray deposition on leaves

Dry after spraying ● Pick the leaves

4 trees Each tree in 7 compartments Count leaves per compartment Pick every 10th leaf and store

6

0,5m

1,2m

1,9m

bottom

middle

top

inside

west east

Measuring deposition – check on application rate and potential spray drift

Check on application and spray drift potential by collecting on vertical poles Filter paper, 2 cm x 50 cm height of 300 cm 4 poles

7

Sampling scheme

8

9

Spray deposition in tree - standard sprayer

10

Spray deposition in tree [µl/cm2]: A. distribution in compartments; B. CV (%) per compartment of 4 trees; C. CV (%) inside a compartment; D. min/max per compartment

0.06/1.49

0.05/0.68

0.11/0.69

0.16/0.79

0.08/0.48

0.06/0.58

0.09/ 0.85

79

48 46

39 48 53 48

0.45

0.31 0.33

0.37 0.21 0.20 0.33

7

23 15

14 26 21 12

A B C D

Spray deposition in the tree (µL/cm2)

11

standard

Lochmann tunnel sprayer

ATR lilac ATR lilac

TVI 8001

high low high low high

part avg

0.29 0.31 0.30 0.60 0.51

7 top 0.32 0.43 0.36 0.51 0.43

6 mid east 0.37 0.38 0.33 0.62 0.54

5 mid west 0.31 0.39 0.40 0.67 0.57

4 bottom out east 0.34 0.35 0.37 0.73 0.65

3 bottom inside east 0.24 0.22 0.24 0.49 0.33

2 bottom inside west 0.20 0.14 0.17 0.46 0.40

1 bottom out west 0.23 0.28 0.22 0.72 0.65

Spray deposition in the tree (% spray volume)

12

standard

Lochmann tunnel sprayer

ATR lilac ATR lilac

TVI 8001

high low high low high

part avg

14.2 16.7 16.1 20.5 17.5

7 top 15.9 23.0 19.6 17.3 14.7

6 mid east 18.4 20.2 17.7 21.2 18.5

5 mid west 15.2 20.7 21.4 23.0 19.6

4 bottom out east 16.9 18.7 20.0 25.0 22.3

3 bottom inside east 11.8 11.9 12.8 16.8 11.2

2 bottom inside west 9.7 7.5 9.3 15.6 13.7

1 bottom out west 11.5 14.8 11.6 24.6 22.3

Spray deposition in tree (% spray volume)

13

average

machine nozzle Air assistance

Deposition (% spray volume)

rel [%] 95% (90%)

standard ATR Lilac high 14.2 100 a

Lochmann Tunnel sprayer

ATR Lilac high 16.1 113 b

ATR Lilac low 16.7 118 c

TVI 8001 high 17.5 123 c (c,d)

TVI 8001 low 20.5 145 c (d)

Spray deposition in tree Lochmann 2R tunnel– relative to standard sprayer

14

113 117

98

123

139144

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

high540 low400 low330

spra

y de

posit

ion

in tr

ee (%

rel t

o st

anda

rd)

Lochmann tunnel ATR Lilac Lochmann tunnel TVI8001

Spray deposition in tree Munckhof 2R – relative to deposit of standard sprayer

15

134140

126

98

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

high low

spra

y de

posit

ion

in tr

ee (%

rel t

o st

anda

rd)

Munckhof 2Row ATR Lilac Munckhof 2Row TVI8001

Spray deposition in tree Munckhof CF – relative to deposit of standard sprayer

16

10094

132 134

100 106114

146

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

high low low400 low300

spra

y de

posit

ion

in tr

ee (%

rel t

o st

anda

rd)

Munckhof CF ATR Lilac Munckhof CF TVI8001

Relation air outlet speed (m/s) Munckhof CF and spray deposition in tree, rel to standard

17

y = -3.4226x + 170.4R² = 0.5211

y = -3.4952x + 175.27R² = 0.675

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26

spra

y de

posit

ion

in tr

ee (%

rel t

o st

anda

rd)

Air outlet speed (m/s)

ATR lilac

TVI 8001

Spray deposition in tree canopy (l/ha) of standard during full leaf period

18

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

A B C D E

spra

y de

posit

ion

in tr

ee ca

nopy

[L/h

a]

measurements during full leaf season

Avg. 40 l/ha = 25% applied volume

conclusions

Increased spray deposition with tunnel and multiple row sprayers; Coarse spray quality venturi type nozzles increased

spray deposition in the tree canopy compared to Very Fine hollow cone nozzle types; Low air settings increased spray deposition in the tree

canopy; Optimal combinations for different sprayer types.

19

Discussion

Mass balance? (30-80 l/ha in tree; 30-60 l/ha on ground). Only 15%-50% of applied spray volume recovered in

tree canopy. Deposition on wood parts of the tree (stem + branches

= 30% projection surface) and fruits? Next step: reduced PPP-use class + DRT class = higher

level/class of emission reduction. 20

Discussion

How to implement more efficient application techniques in LWA (or other dose expression systems)?

LWA: 4 m high trees – full dose =>2 m high trees – 0.5 dose?

Product Stewardship!

21

Thank you for your attention

22

PPS KV 1406044

Suprofruit 2019 15th Workshop to take place at NIAB EMR, East Malling UK 15-19 July 2019. Focus on developments in spray application techniques in fruit and other three dimensional crops.