Pesticide Application Equipment – BMP’s Washington State Department of Agriculture Pesticide Application Equipment – BMP’s Ofelio Borges, WSDA Pesticide Management Division
Pesticide Application Equipment - BMP’s Program goals, design and curriculum development Training contents Pilot implementation (Accomplishments)
Program Goals Drift reduction Pesticide applications in a more effective and efficient way Introduce new technologies
Program Development We received training at Cornnell University
Curriculum Development Highly interactive (hands-on) Classroom and field activities English and Spanish 1-day workshop (at a minimum) Innovative
Program Design Same location Same sponsor/partner Same equipment Different classrooms
Program Design Conociendo su equipo Getting to know your equipment Spanish (Flor Servin, Ofelio Borges) 20 participants English: (Jaime Ramon &Gwen Hoheisel) 20 participants Conociendo su equipo (classroom Field) Getting to know your equipment Calibración de su equipo (classroom Field) Equipment calibration Configuración del equipo (classroom Field) Equipment configuration Each component would have a classroom time. All the information covered in the classroom would get put in practice in the field hands-on along with other exorcises. Why did I want this type of design? We wanted to give employers and employees the opportunity to receive the class at the same time using the same methods and materials. We wanted to start with basic concepts such as the identification of the equipment I really wanted to separate equipment calibration from configuration for purposes of this training. All workshop on calibration I have been exposed to presented a mixture of calibration and configuration that would be somewhat confusing. Thus I wanted to clearly understand the two different concepts and after that they could mix them if they wanted to. Give enviromental factors and new technology the importance that they deserve when it comes to reduce drift. Technología nueva y factores ambientales (classroom Field) New technology and environmental factors
Program Design Four groups of five people Work on different activities & orchard scenarios All were participants Four groups of five in order to have everyone involved. We wanted everyone who attended the workshop to be able to leave knowing how to calibrate a sprayer. Each one of the groups work on activities with different scenarios
Getting to know your Equipment
Getting to Know your Equipment
Equipment Calibration - Tools
Equipment Calibration – New Tools
Equipment Calibration We developed a 6-step program to calibrate Practiced with different orchard scenarios Each group worked on a different scenario & tested them in the field
Equipment Calibration
Equipment Calibration - Tools Map my RIde
Equipment Configuration Configuration is the manipulation of application equipment to improve the deposition and coverage reducing product loss and off target drift.
Gone = $36 of a $60/acre chemical 40-60% of your spray is lost to the ground or air. (Landers 2006) Gone = $36 of a $60/acre chemical
Factors Affecting Configuration Canopy shape Planting system (wall, trellis, vase) Shape and height of the tree Air volume in canopy Density of foliage Sistema de plantación (pared, trellis, vaso) Estado vegetativo Forma y altura del árbol Volumen y densidad del follaje
Configuration Factors Fan (direction, speed and volume of air) Environment or Weather
Configuration Factors Pressure (droplet size) Nozzles (type, droplet size, orientation) Type of spray
Environmental Factors & Technology Wind Temp inversions Temp and humidity
Environmental Factors & New Technology
Accomplishments WSDA & WSU 4 workshops (Granger, Naches, Quincy & Wenatchee) 2 partners (G.S Long & Growers League)
Accomplishments Trained 86 people Served 42 companies
Thank you