Targeted spray technology to reduce pesticide in runoff from dormant orchards

A commercial target-sensing spray system was used to spray insecticide onto a dormant orchard in order to quantify the resulting reduction in insecticide in surface water runoff from the orchard. The field trials compared ground deposit and resulting runoff from target-sensing spraying versus conventional air-blast spraying. The test orchard had distinct gaps between trees and provided an environment where the target-sensing spray technology was expected to provide a significant benefit. Six replicated plots were created for each spray treatment method and artificial rainfall was applied using a sprinkler system to ensure a consistent and uniform simulated rainfall event for all treatment plots. The target-sensing sprayer produced a 40% reduction in the spray application rate and achieved a 41% reduction in ground deposition compared with the conventional air-blast sprayer. Pesticide concentration in surface water runoff was reduced by 44% with the target-sensing sprayer versus the conventional application. The results document the environmental and economic benefits provided by target-sensing spray technology in dormant orchards.