best management practices and sprayer optimization–highest drift in the row closest to sprayer...

World Class. Face to Face.

wine.wsu.edu

Best Management Practices and

Sprayer Optimization

Margaret McCoy, Graduate Research Assistant

WSU IAREC- WSU Extension

Washington Winegrowers Association

Technology, Tools, and Training, Oh My!

February 14, 2019

BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

SPRAYERS: CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

Over-the-Row Directed Air

Alternative Technologies Airblast

http://southwestagspec.com/products/air-o-fan/

1. CHECK SPEED

• Manually

• With an app/tool

– GPS, a ride mapping

app, etc

– Rate controllers

calculate speed, but

make sure to verify

this manually!

feet traveled x 60

seconds traveled x 88 MPH =

2. ADJUST AIR DIRECTION

http://www.vinetechequipment.com/IMG_20120717_1034112.jpg

3. MATCH AIR VOLUME AND SPEED TO CANOPY

4. CALCULATE AND RECORD EXPECTED NOZZLE OUTPUT

1. Whole Sprayer

2. 1 side of the sprayer

– Divide the GPM or

GPMS by the number

of open nozzles

MPH x Row Width x GPA

495 GPM =

MPH x Row Width x GPA

990 GPMS =

• Apps to do the math!

– Turbo-mist (online)

– VineTech (phone app)

5. MEASURE ACTUAL OUTPUT

6. VERIFY COVERAGE

GOING BEYOND CALIBRATION -> OPTIMIZATION

Every drop to the crop

Optimized sprayer

Less drift

Less money wasted

Better pest

control

VINEYARD SPRAYER ASSESSMENTS

Washington State Trials

2016 - 2018

TEAM AND PARTNERS

Funded by the Washington State Grape and Wine Research Program

Michelle Moyer Gwen Hoheisel Lav Khot

MATERIALS AND METHODS

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Top

Left Top

Right

Bottom

Left Bottom

Right

Top

Left

Top

Right

Bottom

Left

Bottom

Right

Top

Center

RESEARCH TRIAL

Quantum Mist Gregoire

On Target Airblast

QUANTUM MIST DESCRIPTION

• Over the row, multi-

axial fan

– Individual position

adjustments

– Turn fan speed up and

down

• Exchangeable

nozzles

– 6 nozzles per fan

• Arms adjust for

canopy development

Early Season: 50 GPA

Late Season: 75 GPA

*normalized

SPRAY DEPOSITION: CANOPY

Early Season:

50 GPA

Late Season:

75 GPA

*normalized

0

300

600

900

1200

1500

Top Right Top Middle Top Left Bottom Right Bottom Left

ng

/cm

2

Canopy Zone

Quantum Mist Canopy Deposition

Early Season Late Season

SPRAY DEPOSITION: FLOOR DRIFT

Early Season:

50 GPA

Late Season:

75 GPA

*normalized

0

300

600

900

1200

1500

1 Row Over 2 Row Over 3 Row Over

ng

/cm

2

Rows from Sprayer

Quantum Mist Floor Deposition


SPRAY DEPOSITION: AERIAL DRIFT

Early Season:

50 GPA

Late Season:

75 GPA

*normalized

0

300

600

900

1200

1500

1 Row from Sprayer 2 Row from Sprayer 3 Row from Sprayer

ng

/cm

2

Rows from Sprayer

Quantum Mist Aerial Drift Deposition


QUANTUM MIST TIPS

1. At every fill check the fan placement

2. Replace broken fan blades

3. Keep nozzle symmetric

4. Verify speed of rate controller

5. Verify the GPS location

GREGOIRE DESCRIPTION

• Over the row

– Fan is controlled by

RPM

– Don’t decrease fan; less

defined droplets

• Air shear nozzles

– 5 nozzles per sock

• Low volume

– 50 GPA or less

• Arms adjust for canopy

development

Early Season: 25 GPA

Late Season: 50 GPA

*normalized


Early Season:

25 GPA

Late Season:

50 GPA

*normalized

0

75

150

225

300

375

450


ng

/cm

2

Canopy Zone

Gregoire Canopy Deposition



Early Season:

25 GPA

Late Season:

50 GPA

*normalized

0

75

150

225

300

375

450


ng

/cm

2

Rows from Sprayer

Gregoire Floor Drift Deposition



Early Season:

25 GPA

Late Season:

50 GPA

*normalized

0

75

150

225

300

375

450


ng

/cm

2

Rows from Sprayer

Gregoire Aerial Drift Deposition


GREGOIRE TIPS

1. In-line Disc; gross reduction in flow, not

dialing it in

2. Check rubber gaskets - replace annually

3. Tighten bolts at the nozzle head

4. Align all wind socks facing at an angle to

the rear of sprayer; into canopy

5. These nozzle can get clogged!

6. We switched the tubing for 3 nozzles

early season and 5 nozzles late.

7. Verify speed of rate controller

8. Verify/check tire pressure

ON TARGET DESCRIPTION

• Over the row

– Directed air

– Electrostatic

• Air shear electrostatic

nozzles

– 5 nozzles tube; 2

tubes per arm

• Low volume

– 20 GPA

• Arms adjust for

canopy development

Early Season &

Late Season: 20 GPA


Early Season: &

Late Season:

20 GPA

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Top Right Top Left Bottom Right Bottom Left

ng

/cm

2

Canopy Zone

OnTarget Canopy Deposition



Early Season: &

Late Season:

20 GPA

0

50

100

150

200

250

300


ng

/cm

2

Rows from Sprayer

OnTarget Floor Deposition



Early Season: &

Late Season:

20 GPA

0

50

100

150

200

250

300


ng

/cm

2

Rows from Sprayer

OnTarget Aerial Drift Deposition



Early Season: &

Late Season:

20 GPA

0

3

6

9

12

15


ng

/cm

2

Rows from Sprayer

OnTarget Aerial Drift Deposition


ON TARGET TIPS

1. Check voltage at nozzle tips

2. Keep droplets small

– Smaller droplets give you stronger

charge

– High GPA (>20 GPA) can result in

less defined droplets = weak

charge

3. Charge is effective within

several cm of the target

– Won’t pull from air or high above

the canopy

PUL-TANK AIRBLAST DESCRIPTION

• Single row

– 2 unopposed, half rows

– Axial fan

• Nozzles

– Hollow cone VisifFlo

and Air induction

– 4 nozzles per side

• With and without air

assistance

Full canopy

Late Season: 50 GPA

AIRBLAST SETTINGS TESTED

• Air Induction Nozzles (AI)

– Without air assistance (BLUE)

– With air assistance (GREEN)

• VisiFlo Nozzles

– Without air assistance

(ORANGE)

– With air assistance (GRAY)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200


ng

/cm

2

Canopy Zone

Airblast Canopy Deposition

AI - Air off AI - Air on VisiFlo - Air off VisiFlo - Air on


Full canopy:

50 GPA


0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200


ng

/cm

2

Rows from sprayer

Airblast Floor Drift


Full canopy:

50 GPA


0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200


ng

/cm

2

Rows from Sprayer

Airblast Floor Drift


Full canopy:

50 GPA


0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1 Row from sprayer 2 Row from sprayer 3 Row from sprayer

ng

/cm

2

Canopy Zone

Airblast Aerial Drift


Full canopy:

50 GPA

AIRBLAST TIPS

1. Turning the air

assistance off

– Keeps it in the canopy

– Less drift

2. Only use the nozzles

you need

3. Use nozzles that

reduce the tendency

of drift

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

• All sprayers performed well with high

deposition in the canopy

– Highest drift in the row closest to sprayer

• Rate controllers can cause issues

• Optimization can only happen after proper

maintenance

– Show your sprayer some love!

• Optimizing the sprayer you have will help “get

every drop to the crop”

– A “good” sprayer can be operated poorly

[email protected]

www.wine.wsu.edu/extension

www.facebook.com/wsu.vit.enol.ext

VITICULTURE EXTENSION

WASHINGTON STATE

UNIVERSITY WWW.IRRIGATEDAG.WSU.EDU

Stay informed!

Funded by the Washington State Grape and Wine Research Program

QUESTIONS?

best management practices and sprayer optimization–highest drift in the row closest to sprayer...

Documents