Field experiments to assess approaches for spray drift incident investigation

BACKGROUND: Spray trials were conducted to determine the variation in primary spray drift deposition between trials under very similar conditions, in order to assess the feasibility of developing a computational tool to aid post‐event investigations of pesticide spray incidents. Pesticide deposition was examined by analysis of filter paper and vegetation samples. RESULTS: Considerable variation in the drift profile was found. The overall estimate of the spray drift decay term was ?1.13 (95% confidence interval ?1.02 to ?1.24), with statistically significant differences between plots. Variation in the drift profile between neighbouring essentially identical plots indicates the variation in deposition that might be expected over small distances. Vegetation samples were found to have considerably lower capture efficiency than filter papers. Importantly, degradation of pesticides was found to have little effect on the pesticide drift profile over a 14 day period. CONCLUSIONS: The levels of spatial variation in spray drift deposits between runs and plots observed in this study suggest serious limitations to the inferences that may be drawn from limited numbers of post‐incident samples. In particular, they would limit inferences about the spray conditions that could be drawn from an estimate of the drift profile derived from limited post‐incident samples. © Crown copyright 2009. Reproduced with permission of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Published by John W iley & Sons, Ltd.     

风洞环境下喷头及助剂对植保无人飞机喷雾飘移性的影响

为探究和减少植保无人飞机喷雾施药过程中的雾滴飘移,采用由单个旋翼与喷头组成的喷雾单元,在可控风洞环境条件下进行了模拟飞行喷雾试验,控制风洞条件为风速5 m/s、喷雾压力0.3 MPa及旋翼转速2300 r/min不变,对比研究了11种喷头、4种代表性助剂以及不同温度/相对湿度条件对雾滴飘移的影响,采用飘移潜在指数(DIX)及相对减飘率(DPRP)两项指标进行对比评估。结果表明:在温度/相对湿度为20℃/RH 80%条件下,不同类型喷头喷雾药液在空中垂直面和水平距离上的飘移沉积量分布均呈现显著的规律性变化趋势,与对照喷头F110-03相比,喷头飘移潜在性从大到小依次为:TR80-0067>ST110-0067>XR110-01>ST110-015>TR80-01>ST110-02>XR110-03>对照F110-03>IDK系列,其中IDK120-01与IDK120-015喷头的减飘移效果相近并为最好;在30℃/RH 40%条件下,采用XR110-01喷头,分别添加助剂0.5%Silwet DRS-60、1.0%"迈飞"(MF)和1.0%Y-20079后,与不添加助剂的对照相比,平均减飘率分别为43.3%、15.6%和5.2%,表明不同助剂对飘移的影响不同,需考虑助剂类型及其减飘效果合理选用;在20℃/RH 40%、20℃/RH 80%、30℃/RH 40%和30℃/RH 60%条件下,XR110-01喷头与添加1.0%MF助剂组合有利于空中飘移的减少,尤其是高温/低湿条件下,添加助剂的减飘移效果较好。该研究结果可为植保无人飞机的喷头选择、喷雾助剂筛选和实际应用提供参考和指导,并为进一步研究喷头及助剂的减飘技术提供数据基础。     

Buffer zone and windbreak effects on spray drift deposition in a simulated wetland

The amount of agricultural spray that drifts into a wetland from an adjacent crop field is influenced by vegetation along the field boundary or any intentional setback distance (buffer zone) between the sprayer and the edge of the arable field. In this study, spray tracer drift deposits were measured in a simulated wetland area under different conditions of wind speed and buffer zone width. The effect of an artificial windbreak at the upwind edge of the simulated wetland was also evaluated. A level of tolerance of 0.1% of the in-swath spray deposition was established as a no-effect level for the response of aquatic plants to common herbicides. Our results indicate that a vegetated 10-m field margin (eg a fencerow) alone provides adequate protection from herbicide drift into a wetland area under wind conditions normally considered acceptable for spraying. For high winds (> 4m s(-1)) when field spraying would not normally be advised, adequate protection was afforded by the same 10-m margin plus a dense windbreak (25% porosity) or by the margin plus a 20-m buffer zone.     

冠层推拨装置对喷杆喷雾机雾滴飘失与沉积特性的影响

喷杆喷雾机具有作业效率高、雾滴覆盖率高、沉积分布均匀、防治效果好等优点,是目前大田作物最主要的施药机具。但受作物冠层遮挡和侧风等气象条件的影响,导致喷杆喷雾机作业时雾滴难以穿透到植株中下部并伴随飘失。为改善喷杆喷雾机喷雾雾滴在作物冠层的穿透性并降低飘移量,本文优化设计了一种适用于大田作物的喷杆喷雾机冠层推拨装置。并分别使用两种喷头(标准扇形雾喷头ST110-02、射流喷头IDK120-02)对该装置的减飘性和在小麦上的沉积特性进行了对比试验。结果表明:该冠层推拨装置对标准扇形雾喷头ST110-02的减飘效果强于射流喷头IDK120-02,其减飘效果分别为59.0%和9.5%;冠层推拨装置可以提高药液的沉积率,对于ST110-02喷头可增加18.0%,IDK120-02喷头增加了8.6%;同时该推拨装置对小麦植株的推拨作用增加了雾滴向冠层中下方的穿透效果,有利于药液在植株上的均匀沉积。     

Comparison of collectors of airborne spray drift. Experiments in a wind tunnel and field measurements

BACKGROUND: In this study, the collecting efficiency of different samplers of airborne drift was compared both in wind tunnel and in field experiments. The aim was to select an appropriate sampler for collecting airborne spray drift under field conditions. RESULTS: The wind tunnel study examined three static samplers and one dynamic sampler. The dynamic sampler had the highest overall collecting efficiency. Among the static samplers, the pipe cleaner collector had the highest efficiency. These two samplers were selected for evaluation in the subsequent field study. Results from 29 individual field experiments showed that the pipe cleaner collector on average had a 10% lower collecting efficiency than the dynamic sampler. However, the deposits on the pipe cleaners generally were highest at the 0.5 m level, and for the dynamic sampler at the 1 m level. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded from the wind tunnel part of the study that the amount of drift collected on the static collectors had a more strongly positive correlation with increasing wind speed compared with the dynamic sampler. In the field study, the difference in efficiency between the two types of collector was fairly small. As the difference in collecting efficiency between the different types of sampler was small, the dynamic sampler was selected for further measurements of airborne drift under field conditions owing to its more well‐defined collecting area. This study of collecting efficiency of airborne spray drift of static and dynamic samplers under field conditions contributes to increasing knowledge in this field of research. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Rice (Oryza sativa) response to drift rates of glyphosate

Greenhouse and field studies were conducted to investigate response of two rice varieties, Priscilla and Cocodrie, to sub-lethal rates of glyphosate in terms of injury, shikimate accumulation and yield. In the greenhouse, more shikimate accumulated in Cocodrie than Priscilla at comparable glyphosate rates applied to plants at the three-leaf stage. In field studies, glyphosate was applied to both varieties when they were 74-cm tall and in the internode separation growth stage. Visual injury, plant height, and leaf-tissue samples for shikimate analysis were collected at 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after treatment (DAT). Rice yield was also determined. Noticeable visual injury and height reduction to both varieties was observed as early as 7 and 3 DAT in Cocodrie and Priscilla, respectively. Shikimate levels in leaves began to increase in both varieties by 3 DAT in a dose-dependent manner and reached a peak between 7 and 14 DAT. Elevated shikimate levels were still detectable by 28 DAT. Similar levels of shikimate accumulated in both varieties at comparable glyphosate rates. However, glyphosate treatment at comparable rates reduced rice yields more in Cocodrie than in Priscilla. The highest rate of glyphosate reduced yield in Cocodrie by 92% whereas there was only a 60% yield reduction in Priscilla. Shikimate levels in glyphosate-treated rice were strongly correlated to yield reductions across both varieties and appeared to be a better predictor of yield reduction than was visual injury. Visual injury coupled with measured shikimate levels can be used collaboratively to identify glyphosate exposure and estimate subsequent rice yield reductions.     

Spray drift as influenced by meteorological and technical factors

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to investigate spray drift from a conventional field sprayer as influenced by meteorological and technical factors, and to provide spray operators with data on which to base sound judgements when applying pesticides. The study was conducted in grazing fields and cereal crops. RESULTS: Interpreting the results from 15 field trials under varying meteorological conditions using different boom heights and driving speeds indicates that, during normal spraying conditions, the most decisive factors influencing the total spray drift (TSD) will be boom height and wind speed, followed by air temperature, driving speed and vapour pressure deficit. One important finding was that TSD (within the encompassed range of meteorological conditions and a boom height of 0.4 m) could be expressed as a simple function of the fraction of droplets ≤ 100 µm. In cereal crops: TSD = 0.36 + 0.11× [fr. (d ≤ 100 µm)] and in grazing fields, TSD = 1.02 + 0.10× [fr. (d ≤ 100 µm)]. In most cases a fraction of the airborne drift passed over the 6 m sampling mast located 5 m downwind of the spray swath. CONCLUSIONS: Under specified conditions, the present results indicate a simple relation between the total spray drift and volume fractions of droplets ≤ 100 µm. Given the nozzle type, it was concluded that the most decisive factors determining TSD are wind speed and boom height. Evaluating the relative importance of the meteorological and technical factors contributes to increasing knowledge in this field of research. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Windbreaks as a pesticide drift mitigation strategy: a review

The use of natural and artificial barriers to mitigate pesticide drift from agricultural and forest applications is discussed. This technique has been considered as an alternative to current methods at a time when environmental concerns are under great public scrutiny. There has been a variety of research experiments on this subject from New Zealand to The Netherlands which have documented reductions in spray drift of up to 80-90%. However, there are still enormous data gaps to utilize this method accurately. The aerodynamic factors of wind barriers and shelter effects on crop growth and yield have been well investigated. In contrast, some of the important aspects of drift mitigation, e.g. porosity and turbulence, have been difficult to obtain and no standard methodologies are currently available to evaluate and classify windbreaks and shelterbelts or to determine their efficiency in reducing drift. Thus there is a significant opportunity to incorporate windbreaks into the tool set of drift mitigation tactics. Government policies, initiatives, legislation, etc, which currently address water quality, BMP, stewardship, buffers, etc, are issues which so far have not included windbreaks as a valuable drift mitigation strategy.     

Biological responses to glyphosate drift from aerial application in non‐glyphosate‐resistant corn

BACKGROUND: Glyphosate drift from aerial application onto susceptible crops is inevitable, yet the biological responses to glyphosate drift in crops are not well characterized. The objectives of this research were to determine the effects of glyphosate drift from a single aerial application (18.3 m swath, 866 g AE ha^?1) on corn injury, chlorophyll content, shikimate level, plant height and shoot dry weight in non‐glyphosate‐resistant (non‐GR) corn. RESULTS: One week after application (WAA), corn was killed at 3 m from the edge of the spray swath, with injury decreasing to 18% at 35.4 m downwind. Chlorophyll content decreased from 78% at 6 m to 22% at 15.8 m, and it was unaffected beyond 25.6 m at 1 WAA. Shikimate accumulation in corn decreased from 349% at 0 m to 93% at 15.8 m, and shikimate levels were unaffected beyond 25.6 m downwind. Plant height and shoot dry weight decreased gradually with increasing distance. At a distance of 35.4 m, corn height was reduced by 14% and shoot dry weight by 10% at 3 WAA. CONCLUSIONS: Corn injury and other biological responses point to the same conclusion, that is, injury from glyphosate aerial drift is highest at the edge of the spray swath and decreases gradually with distance. The LD₅₀ (the lethal distance that drift must travel to cause a 50% reduction in biological response) ranged from 12 to 26 m among the biological parameters when wind speed was 11.2 km h^?1 and using a complement of CP‐09 spray nozzles on spray aircraft. Published 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Pesticide‐laden dust emission and drift from treated seeds during seed drilling: a review

Dressing seeds with pesticides to control pests is a widespread practice with important advantages. Recent incidents of bee losses, however, have directed attention to the emission of abraded pesticide‐coated seed particles to the environment during sowing. This phenomenon of drift of pesticide dust can lead to pesticide contamination of air, water and other natural resources in crop‐growing areas. This review article presents the state of the art of the phenomenon of dust emission and drift from pesticide seed dressing during sowing and its consequences. Firstly, pesticide seed treatment is defined and its pros and cons are set out, with the focus on dust, dust emission and dust drift from pesticide‐coated seed. The factors affecting emission of pesticide dust (e.g. seed treatment quality, seed drilling technology and environmental conditions) are considered, along with its possible effects. The measuring techniques and protocols and models currently in use for calculating the behaviour of dust are reviewed, together with their features and limitations. Finally, possible mitigation measures are discussed, such as improving the seed quality and the use of modified seed drilling technology, and an overview of regulations and stewardship activities is given. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry     

多旋翼植保无人机喷施新烟碱类杀虫剂对蜜蜂的飘移风险

为明确植保无人机喷施新烟碱类杀虫剂对非靶标生物蜜蜂的飘移风险,在田间试验场景下,比较分析多旋翼植保无人机和背负式电动喷雾器喷施新烟碱类杀虫剂时的雾滴飘移量及对蜜蜂的影响。结果表明：应用背负式电动喷雾器和多旋翼植保无人机进行施药作业时,距离施药区下风向5 m处的雾滴飘移率分别为0.50%和23.98%;而多旋翼植保无人机施药时,即使距离施药区下风向17 m处的雾滴飘移率仍高达2.79%,且多旋翼植保无人机施药时的飘移总量显著高于背负式电动喷雾器。喷施新烟碱类杀虫剂时,应用背负式电动喷雾器作业时距离下风向5 m处的蜜蜂在施药后1 d内的死亡数量为75头,分别是距离下风向17 m处和对照组的2.4倍和1.8倍,施药后2~8 d内蜜蜂的死亡数量与对照组无明显差异;应用多旋翼植保无人机作业时距离下风向5 m处的蜜蜂在施药后1 d内的死亡数量为4 721头,分别是距离下风向17 m、29 m处和对照组的3.0倍、6.1倍和112.4倍,施药后2~8 d内蜜蜂的死亡数量明显降低,但距离施药区较近的蜜蜂其死亡数量明显高于对照组,表明多旋翼植保无人机喷施新烟碱类杀虫剂对蜜蜂存在较高的飘移风险。     

环境风速及飞行参数对多旋翼植保无人机雾滴飘移特性的影响

为评估植保无人机低空低容量施药下的喷雾飘移风险,以国内市场主流机型电动多旋翼植保无人机为施药机械,研究不同环境风速及飞行参数（高度和速度）下喷雾雾滴飘移特性,构建雾滴飘移率与飘移距离之间的函数关系,并将测试结果与侧风速度及飞行参数进行相关性分析和回归分析。结果表明：在温度为16.5~25.2℃,相对湿度为21.7%~64.4%的条件下,植保无人机喷雾地面雾滴飘移率与下风向距离的关系满足指数函数λ=a·e^bx,相关系数R²均大于0.914;在侧风速度为1.1~7.0 m/s的条件下,雾滴累计飘移率在13.0%~56.2%之间,90%飘移雾滴沉降在喷雾区下风向7.0~27.3 m距离范围内;侧风速度、飞行高度均与雾滴累计飘移率和90%累计飘移距离呈极显著正相关,且3个因素对雾滴飘移率的影响大小为侧风速度 > 飞行高度 > 飞行速度,对90%累计飘移距离的影响大小为飞行高度 > 侧风速度 > 飞行速度,对喷幅内沉积率的影响大小为飞行高度 > 侧风速度 > 飞行速度。研究结果可用于多旋翼植保无人机实际作业中雾滴飘移风险的控制及飘移缓冲距离的确定。     

植保无人机施药沉积飘移监测系统设计与应用

为提升植保无人机施药沉积飘移监测智能化水平,研发植保无人机施药沉积飘移监测系统,该系统机载监测终端实时获取药械状态参数、植保无人机状态参数及位置参数,通过数据处理服务系统将其发送至平台软件,基于作业参数利用沉积飘移预测模型实时监测药液沉积区域及飘移范围。该系统同时具有作业面积计量、飞行轨迹回溯、作业质量空间分析等功能。2015年4月于山东省威海市文登区泽头镇眠虎岭区域对该系统进行性能测试,植保无人机规划靶区作业面积为433 hm²,最终监测作业面积为405 hm²,施药覆盖率为93.5%;施药过程中实时监测沉积区域和飘移范围,受环境侧风影响,药液最大飘移距离可达40 m,系统整体达到预期设计要求。截至目前该系统已在山东、安徽、江苏、云南、河南、浙江、天津等多个省市应用。