| Abstract: | In a study to evaluate the deposit distribution from aerial sprays on cotton in the Sudan Gezira, a combination of subjective visual assessment and quantitative chemical analysis was used. Spray deposits on leaf discs, made visible in ultraviolet light by the addition of a fluorescent pigment, were subjectively grouped into classes according to a series of standards. The mean chemical deposit on the discs in each class was measured by the gas-liquid chromatographic determination of the profenofos content. The 810 leaves needed to define the deposit distribution with good confidence could be examined economically within the required period by this combination of quick subjective assessment and subsequent quantitative chemical calibration. Results showed that the vertical profile of the deposit distribution within the canopy followed the classical exponential decay curve. The rate of decrease depended mainly on the foliage density. The foliage effectively dampened the wind turbulence so much that the penetration of visible droplets within the lower two-thirds of the canopy was predominantly by gravity. Suggestions for the use of the deposit distribution probability to predict the likely biological effectiveness in the field are discussed. |
