2010 Volume 72 Issue 1 Pages 54-62
An electrostatic boom-type sprayer was developed to apply high-volumes of a pesticide at low-concentrations, and the adherence properties and pest-control effect of the pesticide on cabbages were investigated. In a laboratory experiment using water-sensitive papers placed on an artificial cabbage crop, the electrostatic spraying method showed increased adherence of fine-grain droplets. And the coverage rate of electrostatic method on the side of cabbage heads indicated up to 50.4% in comparison with 30.5% of a non-electrostatic spraying method at same application rate 140L/10a. Moreover, the electrostatic method showed a smaller coefficient of variation for the coverage rate, and pesticide deposition was also more uniform. In a field experiment, the electrostatic method with application rate 140L/10a produced no significant difference in the density of insect pests on cabbage compared to conventional method with 200L/10a. The superiority of electrostatic spraying on the insect pests control effect could not be clarified by this test. The quality and yield of cabbage crops were same between each spraying method.
