Learning for the prevention of derives it: key factor for the improvement of the applications of phytosanitary ware

The project Topps-Prowadis centres in derives it and in the escorrentía like main diffuse sources of pollution. The Guide of Phytosanitary ware Best practices for the reduction of derives it elaborated in the breast of the process, together with the development of tools for the evaluation of the risk of derive, have to complement with suitable actions of learning that guarantee a complete diffusion of the measures adopted.

The structure of the process of learning bases in the learning of a network where the central core includes technical of the local administrations and of the services of protection of vegetables, advisers of diverse companies and institutes of investigation. Practical theoretical courses of 1 or 2 days of length have organised in different areas of all the states members participants in the project. The first part of the courses centres in legal appearances and in the official situation of each country in relation to the use of phytosanitary ware, the problem of derives it and his relation with the pollution of the water. Later the activity centres in the presentation of the Guide of Best practices for the reduction of derives it.

These centre in two fundamental appearances: a suitable behaviour of the user and the appropriate selection and adjust them necessary of the team of application. The second part of the courses of learning centres in the practical demonstration of the profits of the different tools developed. The software EOS (Environingingmentally Optimized Sprayer) allows to the users evaluate the different technologies of application in function of the potential risk of pollution. Also the software Drift Evaluation Tool (bars and atomizador) presents and uses during the course. This tool is thought for incentivar to the user in the taking of measures for the reduction of derives it. The activities of learning include also practical demonstrations in which the participants can check of direct form the effect of the measures proposed: like using or select the filters of drop derives, as it affects the discharge of air of the fan in derives it, as dimensionar the bands of hygiene depending on the technology, the interest of the utilisation of the paper hidrosensible…

Finally, the courses of learning include the presentation and delivery of formative material for advisers, so as to complement the action in cloth of spider regarding learning. Topps Prowadis Has generated a wide payment of didactic material in different official languages of the EU, material that will be available in the official page of the project.

The use of phytosanitary ware product in Europe and his relation with the pollution of waters has aroused in the last important years changes in the legislative panorama. The current legislation covers from the preservation of the quality of the waters (Directive Mark of Waters 2000/60/CE), until the permission of active matters and the manufacturing of the only register (Regulation CE 1107/2009 relative to the commercialisation of phytosanitary ware that derogates the Directive 91/414/CEE), going through the Directive 2009/128/CE on Sustainable Use of Plaguicidas, that for the first time incorporates normative appearances related with the phase of utilisation and application (Bjustad, 1998; Gil and Gracia, 2004) of the products (compulsory inspection of equipment of application into use, learning of professionals, etc.). Besides, it includes explicitly the learning like a key point for a more sustainable use of the phytosanitary ware.

In this context, the European Crop Protection Association (Ecpa) initiated in 2005 an ambitious plan of work in which they participate or have participated the greater part of the countries of the EU. Under the acronym of Topps (Train the Operators to Promote best Practices and Sustainability), the distinct countries involved worked in the promotion and diffusion of what knows like Phytosanitary ware Best practices, keeping like basic principle and main aim the learning of the user. Like this, after the first part of the project in which the main axis was the reduction of the pollution of waters by punctual sources of pollution (and in which it has worked in appearances like the transport and storage of the phytosanitary ware products, the operations like mix and incorporation of the products in the tank, etc.), the second part, initiated in 2011, centres in diffuse sources of pollution, basically derives and escorrentía. It treats in this case of the project Topps–Prowadis (Protection Water from Diffuse Sources).

Of analogous form to the process realizar in the first part of the project, in the frame of the Topps–Prowadis, the countries participants have elaborated a series of tools that allow to the user know the negative effects of derives it and the escorrentía, at the same time that propose actions directed to his reduction, with the consequent technical profit, economic and environingingmental. From among the material elaborated fits to stand out the Guide of Phytosanitary ware Best practices, a compilation of measures more or less known that improve substantially the quality of the applications. This work centres in the description and practical examples of some of the best practices and proposals for the reduction of derives it, fundamentally centred in the applications of phytosanitary ware in crops like the frutales and the vineyard (Gil et al, 2013).

The identification, definition, explanation and put in practice of all these measures for the reduction of derives it are the elements that conform the Guide of Phytosanitary ware Best practices (Best Management Practices – BMP) that have developed in the frame of the project Topps-Prowadis. The guide consists of a series of classified recommendations in three big groups: general recommendations (29), specific recommendations for pulverización in low crops (3) and specific recommendations for treatments in frutales and vineyard (10). They include besides 15 additional measures that contemplate solutions or proposals advanced for the reduction of derives it taking into account the last advances of the technology of application of phytosanitary ware.

The Figure 1 sample the generic document elaborated and distributed in all the EU that collects the measures proposed for the reduction of derives it. The proposals, classified in seven big corresponding groups to environingingmental factors, climatic factors, generation of the pulverización, adjust and calibration of the team, typology of the team of application and parameters during the application, have classified in three big categories: best practices that have to implement , actions highly recommended and councils to implement in accordance with the conditions and the local legislation.

Appears 1. Guide of Phytosanitary ware Best practices to reduce derives it. Basic document on which support the formative actions programmed in the project.

Between the recommendations that propose in the guide of best practices for the reduction of derives it, the appearances related with the management of the air of the fan, and his adecuación to the characteristics of the vegetation, and the utilisation of filters anti derives, are two of the key elements that develop during the process of demonstration (Gil et al., 2013).

The guide of best practices recommends “to use atomisers with systems of adjust of the speed of the flow of air”. And, besides, the speed of the flow of air has to be carefully adjusted in accordance with the size and the geometry of the crop, as well as of the phenology of the same, to avoid that the product powdered rebound on the aim and therefore, cause derives. This can achieve by means of:

• A suitable orientation of the álabes of the fan
• An adjust of the speed of rotation (RPM) of the fan by means of a suitable selection of the speed in the box of changes
• A suitable selection of the diet of twist of the engine, and in consequence, of the diet of twist of the taking of strength (TDF).

The speed of the flow of air has to adjust and correlacionarse with the speed of advance, so that it achieve a complete trip of the air inside the glass, pushing to her the equivalent volume of loaded air of drops powdered. This attains achieving a complete penetration of the pulverización in the vegetation, without that observe pulverización just across the row of the crop. The Figure 2 sample the results obtained in different proofs of field using two distinct equipment, a conventional atomizador and a specific team for treatments in vineyard, Iris-2 of Ilemo-Hardi. The curve of deposition of product just across the row of vegetation, that is to say, the quantity of phytosanitary ware that exceeds the objective zone and therefore generates losses by derive, is remarkable. And the only difference regarding regulation between the two types of machine was the one of the discharge of air of the fan.

Both equipment were regulated to apply 300 l/has to a speed of advance of 4,5 hm/h. The discharge of air of the conventional atomizador was of 35.000 m3/h whereas the one of Iris-2 was slightly upper to 6.000 m3/h. In sight of the results obtained is evident that the technology employed, jointly with a suitable process of regulation of the discharge of air, influence directly in the risk of derive of the product. In this case, from 3,5 metres, the deposition in the floor is invalid when it uses Iris-2, whereas in the case of the conventional atomizador with a big discharge of air, observe depositions to upper distances to the 10 metres from the last row of the vegetation.

The utilisation of specific filters for the reduction of derives it is an usual practice in treatments to low crops, in those zones in which the environingingmental conditions are difficult. Nevertheless, the introduction of these filters for his utilisation in treatments in crops frutales or in vineyard is less widespread. One of the recommendations of the guide of phytosanitary ware best practices elaborated in the frame of the project Prowadis says: “Use filters of injection of air in equipment of pulverización of vineyard and frutales”. The filters of injection of air reduce derives it a 50-90% compared with the conventional filters. Both types of filters, of flat fan and of hollow cone, produce drops bigger by inclusion of bubbles of air, less liable adrift.

The Figure 3 collects the results of the comparison of conventional filters and filters of injection of air in applications in melocotoneros. The data show a reduction of the risk of derive and a maintenance of the levels of coating (measured in paper hidrosensible) and a same index regarding the level of control of the plague. In the case of the vineyard, essays realizar show that the utilisation of conical filters of injection of air reduces considerably the quantity of product that exceeds the vegetation (Figure 4) in comparison with the results obtained using conventional conical filters (Albuz ATR).

One of the tools developed in the breast of the project Topps-Prowadis is a computer application that allows to quantify the risk of derives generated in each particular case and the profits that comport the adoption of the different measures or best practices recommended (Doruchowski et al, 2013). The two tools (one for hydraulics atomisers and another for atomizador) quantify the risk in function of the position of the team with regard to the sensitive zone of pollution (Figure 5) and take into account besides the specific conditions related with the meteorology, operative parameters selected during the application, presence of bands of hygiene or other systems mitigadores of derives. With all the information generates an index of risk of pollution that can reduce (and quantify the reduction obtained) when they apply some of the measures recommended (utilisation of filters of injection of air, adjust of the discharge of air, adecuación of the exits to the structure of the vegetation…). The tools will be also in brief available in the web page of the project, in all the official languages of the EU.

Appears 5. Computer tools developed inside the project Topps-Prowadis, for the quantification of the risks of derives.

Gratitudes

This work forms part of the activities of the project Topps-Prowadis, funded by the European Crop Protection Association (Ecpa).

Bibliography

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• Doruchowski, G.; Balsari, P; Gil, And.; Codis, S.; Marucco, P.; Roettele, M.; Herbst, To.; Pauwelyn, And. (2013). Drift Evaluation Tool to raise awareness about risk of water contamination and drift mitigation measures during orchard spraying. Suprofruit, 2013, Valencia (Spain).
• Gil And. and Gracia F. (2004). Compulsory inspection of sprayers in Use: improving efficiency by learning and formative aspects. First European Workshop on Standardised Procedure for the Inspection of Sprayers in Europe – SPISE – Braunschweig, Germany, April 27-29, 2004, pp. 114-119.
• Gil, And., Llorens, J., Llop, J., Fàbregas, X., Gallart, M. 2013. It use of to Terrestrial LIDAR Sensor for Drift Detection in Vineyard Spraying. Sensors 2013, 13(1), 516-534.