Effect of application carrier volume on a conventional sprayer system and an ultra-low volume sprayer

J. Connor Ferguson, Roch E. Gaussoin, John A. Eastin, Ryan S. Henry, Greg R. Kruger

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

An Ultra-Low Volume (ULV) sprayer was developed to decrease spray volume required for crop production pesticide applications. A field study at the Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln: West Central Research and Extension Center Dryland Farm near North Platte, NE, was conducted in 2011 and 2012 to compare an ULV sprayer to a conventional sprayer across nine carrier volumes with glyphosate at 1061 g ae ha-1 Nine carrier volumes and an untreated check were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The conventional sprayer treatments were applied at carrier volumes of 19, 38, 76, and 152 L ha-1; the carrier volumes with the ULV sprayer were applied at 2.5,5, 9, 19, and 38 L ha-1. Treatments were applied across a 12 row plot. Plant species used were non-glyphosate-resistant corn (Zea mays L.) non-glyphosate-resistant soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L), quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medik.), and green foxtail (Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv.). Five plants of each species per plot were harvested at four weeks after application, dried for 48 h at 63°C and dry weights were recorded. Spray treatments were analyzed for particle size on a laser diffraction instrument. The droplet size distributions of each carrier volume and spray solution were compared to an XR11003 nozzle at 300 kPa. The dry weight measurements were not different between sprayers across the six species. The results suggest that the ULV sprayer at reduced carrier volume was as effective as a conventional sprayer for glyphosate applications. Further investigations are needed to understand drift potential and how the system affects the efficacy of other spray solutions.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)13-22
Number of pages10
JournalASTM Special Technical Publication
VolumeSTP 1569
DOIs
StatePublished - 2014
Event33rd Symposium on Pesticide Formulation and Delivery Systems - Sustainability: Contributions from Formulation Technology - Atlanta, United States
Duration: Oct 23 2012Oct 25 2012

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Materials Science

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