APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: HATCH
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0213849
• Project Start Date: Jan 1, 2009
• Project End Date: Dec 31, 2013
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
KANSAS STATE UNIV
(N/A)
MANHATTAN,KS 66506

Performing Department
Agri Engineering Bio/Ag Engineering

Non Technical Summary
Annually, Kansas farmers, ranchers, and horticulturists manage several million acres of crop (agricultural and horticultural) and non cropland area (pastures and rangelands). The use of pesticides is frequently considered a prudent choice for the management of pests on these acres. Also in Kansas, a vast number of applications are also made annually to turf (golf courses and lawns) and rights-of-ways. The application technology project is designed to improve the decision making by pesticide applicators so that efficient and safe best management application practices will be implemented. More efficient applications that improve pest coverage on the desired target will result in reduced exposure to humans and lesson the contamination to the environment (bodies of water, ground water, air, and other nontarget items) while producing a safe and abundant supply of food.

Animal Health Component

100%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

100%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
112	0399	2020	50%
205	2410	1020	20%
205	2410	3010	10%
205	3410	2050	20%

Knowledge Area
112 - Watershed Protection and Management; 205 - Plant Management Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
0399 - Watersheds and river basins, general; 2410 - Cross-commodity research--multiple crops; 3410 - Dairy cattle, live animal;

Field Of Science
2020 - Engineering; 2050 - Hydrology; 3010 - Economics; 1020 - Physiology;

Keywords

pesticides, application technology, spray drift, spray coverage,

sprayers, variable rate application, sprayer calibration, canopy

penetration, spray droplet spectrum

Goals / Objectives
Develop, evaluate, and promote spray system design, technology, components, and use practices for the safe, efficient, and efficacious application of chemicals in both crop and noncrop production and nonproduction systems. Design, build, and test spray systems to evaluate application technology. Conduct laboratory and field experiments to evaluate the ability of spray equipment to maximize pest control through improving canopy penetration and increasing target coverage resulting in increased efficacy and improved plant health. Conduct laboratory and field experiments to evaluate the potential of application technology to make more efficient applications. Conduct laboratory and field trials to measure the ability of chemical and application technologies to mitigate drift. Conduct pesticide applicator training to ensure the safe and efficient application of pest control products, crop nutrients, and other chemicals. Organize and participate in certification and recertification workshops for private and commercial pesticide applicators. Design, build, and use spray and drift demonstration tables and kits at meetings, field days, and workshops. Design, build, and use model spray system demonstration units at meetings, field days, and workshops. Organize and conduct commercial and private sprayer calibration workshops.

Project Methods
Multiple field and laboratory experiments will be conducted to meet the objectives established in projects 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Various application systems will be considered in the design of the protocols. Special considerations will be given to requests from various equipment manufacturers, chemical companies, and/or commodity commissions. Typical experiments will include multiple treatments with at least three replications. An agronomy-based statistical program (ARM) will be used to lay out the plots and run the analysis for data reporting. For more extensive statistical needs, SAS will be used. Project 6 will be based on specific application equipment needs outlined in the protocols from projects 1-5. Also, specific requests from additional clients that may require a special system design will be considered. The results of these designs will be used to conduct requested application experiments. Project 7 specifically requires the building of demonstration systems to be used in the education and training of pesticide applicators. The systems will include various sprayer technologies either purchased or donated by equipment manufactures. The demonstration systems will be portable so they can be taken to various events and demonstrated. For Project 8, calibration workshops for ground and aerial application systems will be scheduled throughout the year to help applicators improve the efficiency of their application equipment. The Department of Agriculture will offer one unit recertification credit for aerial applicators completing the required calibration activity. An additional one unit credit will issued for applicators attending a one-hour seminar offered during the calibration workshop. Any new application technologies (Project 9) will be evaluated as they come to the market.

Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/13

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Detailed, hands-on training opportunities were provided during 2011. Specifically: 1) Two sprayer workshops with spray table demonstration for growers (47 Participants); 2) Two presentations at the Cover Your Acres Conference (Oberlin KS, January 2011, 97 growers, consultants, commercial applicators and others); 3) Live webcast - Train-the-trainer on using the demonstration spray table for applicator training (19 state extension pesticide Safety Program Coordinators (PSEP) and others; 4) Two presentations for commercial applicators at the Rocky Mountain Application Association Conference (167 commercial applicators, chemical reps and others; 5) Presentation at the No-Till On-the- Plains Winter Conference (Salina, KS, January 2011, 67 growers and others, and 6) Ag Agent Webinar on Application Technology (14 Kansas Ag Agents). (NOTE: R.E. Wolf retired February 5, 2011) PARTICIPANTS: Erick DeWolf, Anita Dille TARGET AUDIENCES: This information is designed for Kansas farmers, ranchers, commercial applicators, consultants, and horticulturalists. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Terminating project early due to investigator retiring from Kansas State University.

Impacts
Kansas growers, consultants, commercial applicators and others are able to apply their herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides with more precision and care. Informed decisions about application parameters ensure that correct and effective amounts of these products are applied.

Publications

• No publications reported this period

Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Multiple application equipment studies were conducted this past year to evaluate sprayer equipment, to determine herbicide, insecticide, and fungicide efficacy, to determine canopy deposition, and to analyze spray droplet characteristics related to each application. Spray droplets were collected on water sensitive paper and/or kromekote paper and analyzed using DropletScan (trademark). One corn canopy penetration trial was completed using an airplane testing the ability of spray adjuvants, fungicide formulations, and application technology to increase lower and mid-plant deposition of corn for disease control. For ground sprayer evaluations, in one study multiple nozzles were compared for droplet characteristics and efficacy in multi species plots using Ignite and a deposition aid and in another study with glyphosate and a polymer-based drift control product. Laboratory/wind tunnel experiments were conducted using tank mix solutions from all field tests listed above utilizing a laser system to determine spray droplet characteristics evaluating the influence of the tank mix solutions on the spray quality. PARTICIPANTS: Randy Price, Naiqian Zhang, Dallas Peterson, Anita Dille, Jack Fry, Megan Kennelly, Doug Jardine, Erick DeWolf, Jeff Whitworth, David Mengel, Kraig Roozeboom, Scott Staggenborg, Darrell Oard, Frannie Miller, Scott Bretthauer (U of Illinois, Clint Hoffmann (USDA ARS College Station, Brad Fritz (USDA ARS College Station) TARGET AUDIENCES: Kansas farmers, ranchers, horticulturalist, and consultants who manage several million acres of agricultural and horticultural crop land and non cropland areas such as pastures, rangelands, and rights of way; and those private and commercial applicators who apply pest control products to those crop and non cropland areas. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Commercial, farmer/grower, turf, and aerial applicators are able to make more informed decisions regarding herbicide, fungicide, and insecticide application parameters. These applicators are also able to make more informed decisions about using new nozzle designs regarding pesticide application parameters. Media outlets conventionally utilized by KSU Extension Specialists, i.e. news releases, radio and T.V. programs, and the KSU Entomology Newsletter were used periodically throughout the year to publicize results so growers/consultants/county Extension agents could make informed decisions regarding chemical pest management. Participants reported conducting multiple pesticide applicator training certification and recertification meetings and workshops for private and commercial pesticide applicators to provide pesticide and equipment updates to ensure the safe and efficient application of pest control products, crop nutrients, and other chemicals. In addition, topics on precision farming principles, GPS components, variable rate application equipment, and other precision application technologies including NDVI remote sensing equipment for aerial applicators were covered. Various methods including the use of PowerPoint presentations and drift demonstration tables and kits at meetings, field days, and workshops.

Publications

• Wolf, R. and Peterson, D. 2010. The effect of adjuvant, nozzle type, droplet spectra, and spray volume on postemergence weed control using ignite. Proceedings North Central Weed Science Society. Lexington, KY. Paper No. 182.
• Wolf, R. 2010. New developments in spraying technology. Proceedings North Central Weed Science Society. Lexington, KY. Paper No. 142.
• Wolf, R. Hand Sprayer Calibration Worksheet. 2010. KSRE Publication MF2915.
• Wolf, R. Boom Sprayer Calibration Steps Work Sheet. 2010. KSRE Publication MF2914.
• Wolf, R. and Bretthauer, S. 2010. Field comparisons of drift reducing/deposition aid products for aerial applications. Proceedings 9th International Symposium on Adjuvants for Agrochemicals. Freising, Germany. P. 539.
• Wolf, R. and Bretthauer, S. 2010. Improving canopy coverage by using deposition aids inlow volume fungicide applications in corn. Proceedings 9th International Symposium on Adjuvants for Agrochemicals. Freising, Germany. P. 538.
• Wolf, R., Bretthauer, S. and Newby, P. 2010. Using photography to aid in analyzing airplane spray patterns at Operation S.A.F.E. workshops. NAAA/ASABE Technical Session. Savannah, GA. Paper No. AA10-02.
• Bretthauer, S. and R. Wolf. 2010. Low volume fungicide applications to corn. NAAA/ASABE Technical Session. Savannah, GA. Paper No. AA10-03.
• Thompson, C., Peterson, D., Fick, W., Stahlman, P., and Wolf, R. 2010. 2010 Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, Rangeland, and Noncropland. Herbicide application. K-State AES and CES Report of Progress 1007. pp. 4-11. (annual revision)
• Wolf, R., Bretthauer, S., and Hager, A. 2010. The effect of nozzle type, pressure and a drift reduction/deposition aid product on postemergence weed control with a dicamba/glypohsate tank mixture. Proceedings North Central Weed Science Society. Lexington, KY. Paper No. 183.

Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Multiple application equipment studies were conducted this past year to evaluate sprayer equipment to determine herbicide, insecticide and fungicide efficacy, to determine canopy deposition, and to analyze spray droplet characteristics related to each application. Spray droplets were collected on water sensitive paper and/or kromekote paper and analyzed using DropletScan (trademark). Three corn canopy penetration trials were completed using an airplane testing the ability of spray adjuvants, fungicide formulations, and application technology to increase lower and mid plant deposition of corn for disease control. Multiple nozzles were compared for droplet characteristics in multi species plots using glyphosate and paraquat. Laboratory and field trials were conducted to evaluate the Varitarget nozzle to vary flow while maintaining droplet size. Experiments were conducted using glyphosate and paraquat tank mix solutions for spread factor testing with laser systems to determine correlation of using artificial paper (water sensitive and Kromekote) and DropletScan (trademark) to predict spray droplet spectra during field application scenarios. Multiple nozzles were compared for herbicide efficacy in multi species plots using glyphosate and paraquat. In the first year of a two year project, comparisons using seed and foliar fungicides at two planting dates for soybean production in Kansas were implemented. In other trials, insecticidal efficacy was evaluated for pests in soybeans, sunflowers, sorghum, alfalfa, and brome bordering wheat. Plots were hand sprayed in the above mentioned crops to ensure insecticidal activity was not to blame for any purported failures. PARTICIPANTS: Randy Price, Kansas State University; Naiqian Zhang, Kansas State University; Dallas Peterson, Kansas State University; Kassim Al Khati, Kansas State University; Anita Dille, Kansas State University; Jack Fry, Kansas State University; Megan Kennelly, Kansas State University; Doug Jardine, Kansas State University; Erick DeWolf, Kansas State University; Jeff Whitworth, Kansas State University; David Mengel, Kansas State University; Kraig Roozeboom, Kansas State University; Scott Staggenborg, Kansas State University; Darrell Oard, Kansas State University; Frannie Miller, Kansas State University; Scott Bretthauer, U of Illinois; Clint Hoffmann, USDA ARS College Station; Brad Fritz, USDA ARS College Station; Kansas Soybean Commission. TARGET AUDIENCES: Kansas farmers, ranchers, horticulturalist, and consultants who manage several million acres of agricultural and horticultural crop land and non cropland areas such as pastures, rangelands, and rights of way; and those private and commercial applicators who apply pest control products to those crop and non cropland areas. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: No project modifications were required at this time.

Impacts
Commercial, farmer/grower, turf, and aerial applicators are able to make more informed decisions regarding herbicide, fungicide, and insecticide application parameters. These applicators are also able to make more informed decisions about using new nozzle designs regarding pesticide application parameters. Stobiluron or mixtures of strobiluron and triazole fungicides were applied to soybeans at two planting dates and at two locations. In the absence of significant disease pressure, there were no differences in yields of fungicide treated plots versus an unsprayed control. This data does not support the plant health claims of the chemical companies that suggest economic yield gains can be made with the use of a strobiluron fungicide even when diseases are not present. Media outlets conventionally utilized by KSU Extension Specialists, i.e. news releases, radio and T.V. programs, and the KSU Entomology Newsletter were used periodically throughout the year to publicize results so growers/consultants/county Extension agents could make informed decisions regarding chemical pest management. Participants reported conducting multiple pesticide applicator training certification and recertification meetings and workshops for private and commercial pesticide applicators to provide pesticide and equipment updates to ensure the safe and efficient application of pest control products, crop nutrients, and other chemicals. In addition, topics on precision farming principles, GPS components, variable rate application equipment, and other precision application technologies including NDVI remote sensing equipment for aerial applicators were covered. Various methods including the use of powerpoint presentations and drift demonstration tables and kits at meetings, field days, and workshops.

Publications

• Kennelly, M., and Wolf, R. 2009. Effect of nozzle type and water volume on dollar spot control in greens height creeping bentgrass. Applied Turfgrass Science. Online. doi:10.1094/ATS 2009 0921 01 RS.
• Whitworth, J., Sloderbeck-Michaud, P. 2009. Insect Management Guides for Cotton, Corn, Alfalfa, Sorghum, Soybeans, Sunflowers, and Wheat. KSU Special Publications.
• Wolf, R., Gardisser, D., Bretthauer, S, Mauromoustakos, A. and Baxter, L. 2009. The Influence of Tank Mix Additives While Making Low Volume Aerial Fungicide Applications. Journal of ASTM International. JAI 102135 . Vol. 6(5). Available on line at www.astm.org. 11 pages.
• Hanna, M., Robertson, A., Carlton, W. and Wolf, R. 2009. Nozzle and carrier application effects on the control of soybean leaf spot diseases. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 25(1): 5 13.
• Wolf, R. and Daggaputi, P. 2009. Nozzle Type Effect on Soybean Canopy Penetration. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 25(1): 23 30.
• Hoffmann, C., Fritz, B., Wolf, R., Bretthauer, S. and Gardisser, D. 2009. Development of a Testing System for Determination of Spread Factors of Agrochemical Spray Solutions on Water Sensitive Cards. Proceedings of the 30th Symposium on Pesticide Formulations and Delivery Systems: Application of Formulation and Adjuvant Technology. ASTM International. Atlanta, GA.
• Wolf, R. and Peterson, D. 2009. Evaluation of a new venturi nozzle designs for improving herbicide efficacy. Proceedings North Central Weed Science Society. Kansas City, MO. Paper No. 140.
• Bretthauer, S. and Wolf, R. 2009. Effects of nozzle type and spray solution on fungicide applications to corn. NAAA/ASABE Technical Session. Reno, NV. Paper No. AA09 008b.
• Wolf, R., Gardisser, D., and Bretthauer, S. 2009. Aerial Comparisons of Drift Reducing Tank Mixes. NAAA/ASABE Technical Session. Reno, NV. Paper No. AA09 001.
• Wolf, R., Friedli, C. and Lauer, B. 2009. Comparison of Spray Droplet Size and Coverage for Nozzles Used for Agronomic Weed Control. Mid Central ASABE Meeting. Paper # MC09 207.
• Whitford, F., Hawkins, S., Westrich, D., DeMunbrum, T.,Peas, B., Obermeyer, J. and Wolf, R. 2009. The selection and inspection of hoses: an integral component of application equipment. Purdue Pesticide Programs Publication. In review.
• Wolf, R. Pumps for Agricultural Sprayers. 2009. KSRE Publication MF2895. In edit. 12 pages.
• National Aerial Pesticide Applicator Pilot Certification Study Manual. 2009. Published by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Research Foundation. Patrick J. OConnor Marer, Author. R. Wolf, contributing author, technical advisor and reviewer. In press.
• Wolf, R. and Bretthauer, S. 2009. Calibrating Boom Sprayers. KSRE Publication MF2894. In edit. 16 pages.
• Hipkins, P., Grisso, R., Wolf, R. and Reed, T. 2009. Droplet Chart / Selection Guide. Virginia Cooperative Extension. Publication 442 031. 2 pages.
• Thompson, C., Peterson, D., Fick, W., Stahlman, P. and Wolf, R. 2009. 2009 Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, Rangeland, and Noncropland. Herbicide application. Kansas State AES and CES Report of Progress 1007. pp. 4 11. (annual revision).