Comparative Evaluation of Spraying Technology in Cotton Belt of Punjab (India)

Abstract

With advancement of spray technology and sprayers used on farmer’s field will vary significantly from each sprayer in terms of droplet size which ultimately determines its efficacy. Therefore, it is required to standardize and validate the efficient spray technology for enhancing the effectiveness of pesticides in cotton. For tractor operated gun sprayer, the field capacity was found higher due to its large coverage area around covering six to seven rows during one pass on one side i.e. 5.4 to 6.3 m. The operator speed was found to be around 1-1.6 km•h-1 and VMD, NMD and UC were found to be 125.71 μm, 33.91 μm, 3.73 respectively. Lesser droplets reach the lower side of the upper leaves where usually the white flies reside. The cost•h-1 for electrostatic sprayer may be high but the deposition efficiency and also the spatial distribution of deposited droplets throughout the plant canopy, particularly under plant leaves application where pests usually hide and reside was found maximum. Thus results in better bio-efficacy. The droplet sizes i.e. VMD, NMD and UC were found to be 52.66 μm, 21.79 μm and 2.54 respectively. Tractor mounted boom sprayer is a recommended technology and showed best results in terms of uniformity, droplet sizes, bio efficacy and high field capacity having VMD, NMD and UC of 124.12, 43.94 and 2.75 respectively. Battery operated knapsack sprayer have VMD, NMD and UC of 137.80μm, 37.01μm and 3.58 respectively but its field capacity was found to be least.

Sa unapređenjem tehnologije prskanja i prskalica koje farmeri koriste na terenu, veličina kapljice, koja odlučujuće određuje efikasnost rada mašine, značajno se razlikuje kod svake prskalice. Zato je potrebno da se standardizuju i procene efikasne tehnologije prskanja za unapređenje efikasnosti primena pesticida u pamuku. Kod traktorskog rasprskivača utvrđen je viši poljski kapacitet zbog velike oblasti pokrivanja od šest do sedam redova u jednom prohodu na jednoj strani, odnosno 5.4 do 6.3 m. Radna brzina je iznosila 1-1.6 km•h-1, a VMD, NMD i UC su iznosili 125.71 μm, 33.91 μm i 3.73, redom. Manje kapljice stigle su do naličja gornjih listova gde obično žive bele muve. Troškovi na čas rada elektrostatičke prskalice mogu biti visoki, ali efikasnost taloženja i prostorna distribucija deponovanih kapljica po celoh biljci, posebno ispod lišća gde se štetočine obično kriju, bili su maksimalni. Ovo dovodi i do bolje bio-efikasnosti. Veličine kapljica, odnosno VMD, NMD i UC iznosili su 52.66 μm, 21.79 μm i 2.54, redom. Nošena traktorska prskalica se preporučuje jer je pokazala najbolje rezultate u smislu ujednačenosti, veličina kapljica, bio-efikasnosti i visokog poljskog kapaciteta, a VMD, NMD i UC su iznosili 124.12, 43.94 i 2.75, redom. Leđna prskalica sa baterijskim napajanjem je imala VMD, NMD i UC od 137.80 μm, 37.01 μm i 3.58, redom, ali je njen poljski kapacitet bio najmanji.