Work

Optimization and Evaluation of Electrostatic Spraying Systems and Their Effects on Pesticide Deposition and Coverage Inside Dense Canopy Plants

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Electrostatic spraying systems can improve the pesticide application efficiency by enhancing droplet deposition and coverage within crop canopies. This study evaluated the droplet size spectra and charge-to-mass ratio (CMR) of five electrostatically charged hollow-cone nozzles and one flat-fan nozzle paired with an electrode. Each nozzle was mounted on a moving boom in a wind tunnel and operated with the electrode and voltage that produced the highest CMR. Their effects on the spray coverage and deposition inside boxwood shrubs at wind speeds of 0 and 2.24 m s−1 were assessed. The nozzles operated with the optimized electrode had average improvements in the canopy deposition and canopy coverage of 1.33 µg cm−2 and 4.4% at a wind speed of 0 m s−1 and 0.26 µg cm−2 and 0.9% at a wind speed of 2.24 m s−1. The airborne drift measurements at various heights above the wind tunnel floor showed an average 0.50 µg cm−2 reduction in the drift at 0.1 m, variable results at 0.35 m, and minimal changes at heights of 0.7 m and above at a downwind distance of 2 m. These findings highlighted the potential of optimized electrostatic spraying systems to enhance pesticide deposition inside the crop canopy under various wind speeds while reducing the spray drift potential.

Source: Agronomy

DOI: 10.3390/agronomy15061401

Authors: Matthew Herkins, Lingying Zhao, Heping Zhu, Hongyoung Jeon, Jose Castilho-Theodoro

Institutions: The Ohio State University, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture

Language: English

Topic: Agricultural Engineering and Mechanization

Subfield: Mechanical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137

Funders: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ohio State University, Agricultural Research Service