Sprayer type and water volume influence pesticide deposition and control of insect pests and diseases in juice grapes

In a mature Vitis labrusca L. “Niagara” vineyard, we compared an airblast sprayer and an air-assisted rotary atomizer (AARA) low-volume sprayer for coverage of grape clusters and control of grape berry moth, Paralobesia viteana. In addition, the effect of spray volume on control of fungal diseases was evaluated using the fungicides ziram and azoxystrobin applied with an airblast sprayer. For evaluation of coverage, sprayers applied kaolin clay at 28 kg/ha to grapevines while operating at low, medium and high water volumes. Kaolin residues on grape clusters were analyzed to compare the total amount of spray material deposited, percent of fruit surface covered, number of deposits, size of deposits and distance between deposits. There were no significant differences between sprayers or water volumes in the total amount of kaolin deposited on clusters, but the percent surface coverage was much greater on outside-facing berry surfaces (facing the sprayer) than inside-facing surfaces (facing the rachis). On the outside-facing berry surfaces, the airblast sprayer at 468 L/ha of water (medium volume) provided the highest percent coverage, the greatest density of deposits, the largest deposit diameter, and the smallest distance between deposits. On the inside-facing berry surfaces, the same sprayer–volume combination provided the highest percent coverage and greatest deposit diameter, but deposits from the airblast sprayer operating at 935 L/ha (high volume) had the smallest distance between deposits. No significant differences between sprayers or among water volumes were detected in the deposit density on the inside-facing berry surfaces. Bioassays of grape clusters sprayed with fenpropathrin or methoxyfenozide using the airblast or AARA sprayers at two water volumes revealed the greatest fruit protection from P. viteana at the higher volume for the airblast sprayer, but at the lower volume for the AARA sprayer. Spray volume of the airblast sprayer also affected disease control by the protectant fungicide ziram more than by the systemic fungicide azoxystrobin, with 468 L/ha providing better control than 187 L/ha. However, for most diseases, fungicide type was more influential than spray volume in determining the disease control outcome. The results of this study emphasize the need for appropriate water volumes relative to the sprayer and pesticide being used to optimize pest and disease control in juice grape vineyards.