Academic literature on the topic 'Agrochemical application technology'

Declines in crop yield due to pests and diseases require the development of safe, green and eco-friendly pesticide formulations. A major problem faced by the agricultural industry is the use of conventional agrochemicals that contribute broad-spectrum effects towards the environment and organisms. As a result of this issue, researchers are currently developing various pesticide formulations using different nanotechnology approaches. The progress and opportunities in developing nanoemulsions as carriers for plant protection or nanodelivery systems for agrochemicals in agricultural practice have been the subject of intense research. New unique chemical and biologic properties have resulted in a promising pesticide nanoformulations for crop protection. These innovations—particularly the nanoemulsion-based agrochemicals—are capable of enhancing the solubility of active ingredients, improving agrochemical bioavailability, and improving stability and wettability properties during the application, thus resulting in better efficacy for pest control and treatment. All of these—together with various preparation methods towards a greener and environmentally friendly agrochemicals—are also discussed and summarized in this review.

As the world population increases and the need for food monoculture farms are using more and more agrochemicals, there is also an increase in the possibility of theft, misuse, environmental damage, piracy of products, and health problems. This article addresses these issues by introducing the agrochemical pervasive traceability model (APTM), which integrates machine learning, sensors, microcontrollers, gamification, and two blockchains. It contributes in two dimensions: (I) the study of the environmental, product piracy and regulatory of agrochemical control; (II) the technological dimension: application of an adequate set of sensors collecting multiple data; modeling and implementation of a system via machine learning for analyzing and predicting the behavior and use of agrochemicals; development of a scoring system via gamification for reverse use of agrochemicals; and presenting a record of transactions in a consortium of two blockchains, simultaneously. Its main advantage is to be a flexible, adaptable, and expansive model. Results indicated that the model has positive aspects, from detecting the agrochemical, its handling, and disposal, recording of transactions, and data visualization along the reverse supply chain. This study obtained a round trip time of 0.510 ms on average; data transfers between layer one and its persistence in the database were between 4 to 5 s. Thus, blockchain nodes consumed only 34 to 38% of CPU and recorded transactions between 2 to 4 s. These results point to a horizon of applicability in real situations within agricultural farms.

The goal of the project was to supply growers with knowledge on how incorporation of machine vision technology can affect the wild blueberry crop, disease pressures, and the overall savings of select agrochemical inputs. A machine vision system was developed and mounted on a rear sprayer boom in front of the sprayer nozzles capable of targeting the agrochemical application on an as-needed basis. Results showed that plants that received the proper fungicide application were less prone to premature leaf drop resulting in larger stem diameters and higher bud counts and harvestable fruit yield. Fungicide application savings using the smart sprayer for spot-application was 12% as compared to a uniform application.

This study assessed farmer’s awareness of the environmental effect and safety implications of agrochemicals (A study of rice farmers in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Agrochemicals are pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers used for the management of ecosystems in agricultural sectors. Rudimentary variations on agrochemicals have been used for millennia to improve crop yields and control the populations of agricultural pests. The study is a descriptive survey; in which 15 questionnaires were formulated and distributed to the farmers in Abeokuta, Ogun using stratified sampling techniques. The result of the study showed that 73% of the respondents know that Agrochemicals are chemicals (pesticides and fertilizers) used to boost agricultural production while 27% did not. Also, 87% are aware of the environmental effect of agro-chemical used in the farm while 13% are not. 67% know that Agrochemical mishandling constitutes one of the most severe farm operation hazards confronting farmers, their produce, and the environment while 33% did not. And 93% has ever attended any seminar/workshop on how to use agrochemicals on crops and rice productions while 7% stated otherwise. Also, 16% of the respondents stated that they have ever encountered any problem in the last two years while 84% stated otherwise. Moreover, 9 of them are properly informed of the risks and precautions involved in the application of toxic chemicals on the rice Productions while 6 disagreed with that. Furthermore, 47% of the respondents are exposed to agrochemicals during applications while 53% disagreed with that and lastly, 80% usually wear protective materials whenever they’re on the farm while 20% stated otherwise. However, pesticides continue to be a significant and growing component of modern rice technology. The relative importance of pesticides has increased despite the availability of alternatives to exclusive chemical pest control such as varietal resistance and integrated pest management (IPM). Despite the benefits involved in the use of agrochemicals, there are also health and environmental problems associated with its use. However, the farmers’ knowledge of the use of agrochemicals in Nigeria has been fraught with problems. Therefore, the protection of our crop through the control of pest and disease agents can make a major contribution towards increased agricultural productivity, the standard of living of rural community dwellers and national development.

The article reflects the results of a study of the development of organic technologies for agricultural production in the Vinnytsia region. A statistical generalization of the indicators of the development of organic technologies in the region was carried out and conclusions on the relevance of this strategic technological direction for the region were drawn. An assessment of the potential of Vinnytsia region for the introduction of technologies of organic farming and crop production in view of the national strategy of transition to alternative organic technologies are conducted. The peculiarities of the soil cover of the region from the standpoint of certain areas for the cultivation of organic products are analyzed. The results of cartographic assessment of the suitability of the soil cover of the region for the introduction of a staged transition to organic farming systems and the possibility of such a transition in different years of technology introduction are presented. The features of the soil cover of the region from the position of certain zones for the cultivation of organic products are analyzed. The basic regulatory criteria for assessing the suitability for classic organic production by the basic properties and groups of qualities defined by the orders of the Government of Ukraine are determined. The average agrochemical properties of soils in the Vinnytsia region in terms of humus content, mobile forms of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and acidity of the soil solution are grouped and determined. The indicators of the content of mobile forms of trace elements, heavy metals and pesticide residues are separately grouped within the districts of the region. Based on a comparison of the normative values of soil parameters and the actual values of indicators within the regions, the integral coefficient of suitability of the soils of the region for the introduction of organic agricultural production technologies is determined. This made it possible to rank the districts of the region and identify favorable and unfavorable regions for the transition to organic technologies of agricultural production. Key words: organic technologies, suitability, standards, agrochemical assessment of soils, organic products.

To evaluate the impacts of agrochemical fertilizer application on the aquatic environment of paddy fields in tropical regions, 7.04 ha of paddy field situated in northern Vietnam were selected as a study area. The fate of nutrient constituents was surveyed through a questionnaire as well as analytical observation. Taking the major environmental components of the paddy field into account, a mass-balance flow regarding fertilizing constituents such as nitrogen and phosphate was built up and used to estimate the contribution of fertilizer to paddy field water pollution. In the mass-flow analysis, the randomness of fertilizer used by local farmers is incorporated within the conventional input-output model. For the control volume of soil in 0–40 cm below paddy plot surface, the estimated average concentrations in soil were 1.8 ppm for inorganic nitrogen and 1.3 ppm for inorganic phosphate on the assumption of 50% non-excessive probability. From the reasonable consistency of the deduced concentrations of nutrients with observed ones, not only the mass balance of fertilizing substances but also the impacts of fertilizer on the paddy field aquatic environment in Vietnam could be understood. On the results from nutrient mass-balance analysis, it was found that 11.3–13.3 kg N/ha would percolate into the underground aquifer that is linked to surface channel flow in the vicinity of the paddy plots and affect the irrigation water quality. The nutrient portion in the materials harvested as grain and straw occupied 58% of total dosed nitrogen and 75.6% of total supplied phosphorus.

HighlightsPrototypes of an agricultural nozzle clog detection system (for 18 nozzles) have been successfully developed.Spray quality characteristics (droplet size, pattern, and coverage) were not significantly affected when testing the device with extended-range nozzles (TeeJet XR8004).Most of the spray quality characteristics were significantly affected when testing the device with ultra low-drift nozzles (John Deere PSULDQ2004).Abstract. Agricultural nozzles are the main components that perform the spraying of agrochemicals, and their proper functionality is a key element for uniform spray application on crops. Because nozzles have small orifices, they can become clogged when there is debris from the agrochemical in the tank. Nozzle clogging during spray application results in poor pest and weed management and increased cost for re-spraying the affected crop row. Measures used to prevent nozzles from clogging include using screens or strainers to filter out debris before it reaches the nozzle tip, as well as performing regular checks on the nozzles. However, nozzle clogging still occurs during spraying despite the precautions taken. Thus, a device that can detect nozzle clogging during spraying is necessary to enable a quicker response that will ensure uniform application across each row of the crop. A novel, patented device for detecting clogged nozzles that is externally attachable to each nozzle on a sprayer boom was developed in the Precision Application Technology Lab at Arkansas State University. The main objective of this article is to present a general description of this prototype nozzle clog detection device and the nozzle clog detection system. Spray droplet size and pattern tests under controlled conditions and spray coverage tests under field conditions were conducted with and without the device to determine if there were significant differences in droplet size, spray pattern, or spray coverage between using and not using the device. The tests demonstrated that this new technology has potential for detecting clogged nozzles without significantly influencing spray quality for extended-range nozzles but not for ultra low-drift nozzles. To increase the reliability of the performance of this new technology, further improvements in the design need to be considered. Keywords: Clogged nozzle, Detection, Droplet size, Prototype device, Spray coverage, Spray pattern.

Soil fertility, upon which plant growth and hence crop yield and quality depend, embraces its content of plant food (nutrients), its organic matter content, its structure, its ability to supply water and its depth. Excessive use of fertilizers with nitrogen products of ion nitric accumulation in the soil (temporary) and in plants, which disturbs the balance of photosynthesis, causes the appearance of necrosis and burns on leaves, severe intoxication and even death by asphyxiation phenomena and cyanosis at ruminants, children and old people. One of the ways of soil pollution through agricultural technology is over-fertilization and, in particular, the administration of high doses of nitrogen fertilizers. Excess of nitrogen fertilizers, as well as their empirical application, have negative effects on harvest quality. The main aim of this study was to determine the effect of five nitrogen levels and different type of fertilizers on the agrochemical evolution of the chernozemic soil in the superficial horizon. Field experiments were conducted at the Agricultural Research and Development Station (ARDS) Suceava, Romania, in two growing seasons (2017 and 2018) with five nitrogen levels (80 kg/ha, 120 kg/ha, 160 kg/ha, 200 kg/ha and 240 kg/ha) and two type of nitrogen fertilizers (ammonium nitrate and urea).

The article presents the results of studies conducted in 2004-2010 at the experimental plot in the forest-steppe Volga region. The research investigated the impact of traditional (average) and differentiated use of mineral fertilizers in the field crop rotation (winter wheat (reconnaissance sowing) – spring wheat ‒ annual grass – spring barley – bare fallow– winter wheat – spring wheat) on the change of agrochemical properties of leached chernozem. It was established that the six-year use of fertilizers contributed to the improvement of the main indicators of top soil fertility regardless of application technology. On average, in 15 sectors (plots) of each variant, the content of mobile phosphorus per rotation of crop rotation increased with differentiated fertilization by 15.9%, potassium – by 15%, and in the traditional one – by 4.8 and 16.7% respectively, (control of 100.8 and 116.2 mg/kg of soil, respectively). In sectors where no fertilizer was applied, the content of mobile elements decreased by 2-7%. The nitrogen content in the soil directly depended on the timing of sampling and the amount of moisture in the soil, so it was difficult to track its change. The difference in the accumulation of mineral nitrogen between the technologies of fertilizer application was not observed. For organic matter in all variants of the experience over the years of research there was a decrease in the indicator. This was more noticeable in the control, where the value decreased by 2.7%. Here, the value of soil acidity increased by 0.12 units and became 4.7. In variants with fertilizers soil acidity remained the same (4.6-4.7). In general, the differentiated use of mineral fertilizers did not have a negative influence on the agrochemical composition of leached chernozem. There was a gradual equalization of soil fertility due to the residual amounts of phosphorus and potassium on low-fertile plots and some reduction of mobile elements in zones with high content.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
A aplicação de produtos fitossanitários no setor sucroenergético, até recentemente, estava focada sobretudo no controle de plantas infestantes. Com o surgimento epidêmico da ferrugem alaranjada da cana-de-açúcar, causada pelo fungo Puccinia kuehnii, as aplicações de fungicidas tornaram-se necessárias nas variedades suscetíveis. Porém, poucos estudos concernentes à tecnologia de aplicação são encontrados na literatura, especialmente em relação à aplicação aérea e aos efeitos promovidos na fisiologia das plantas. Este trabalho objetivou estudar as diferentes formas de aplicação de fungicidas na cana-de-açúcar, variedade SP81-3250, no que se refere a deposição de calda, controle da doença, produtividade e efeitos fisiológicos. Executaram-se duas aplicações de fungicidas dos grupos químicos Estrobilurinas e Triazóis nas unidades experimentais. Nas aplicações aéreas, utilizaram-se duas taxas de aplicação (30 e 40 L ha-1) e três orientações dos bicos na barra de pulverização (135º, 0º e 90º em relação à linha de voo), sendo avaliado apenas na segunda aplicação o ângulo de 90o, considerado como padrão aéreo da Usina Vale do Tijuco. Já na aplicação terrestre, utilizaram-se taxa de aplicação de 200 L ha-1 e pontas de pulverização de jato plano com indução de ar (AI11004-VS). Esse procedimento, considerado como padrão terrestre da referida Usina, foi avaliado apenas na primeira aplicação. Dividiu-se a pesquisa em duas partes. Na primeira, avaliaram-se as deposições da calda no dossel superior da cultura e as perdas para o solo, por meio da adição à calda do traçador Azul Brilhante para ser quantificado por absorbância em espectrofotometria. Além disso, conduziu-se um estudo do espectro de gotas por meio da avaliação dos impactos em papéis hidrossensíveis, quantificou-se a severidade da doença nas folhas a partir de um programa de análise de imagens digitalizadas e mensurou-se a biometria da cana-de-açúcar. Já na segunda parte da pesquisa, foram realizadas avaliações de trocas gasosas com analisador de gás IRGA e da quantidade de clorofilas a e b com um clorofilômetro. Os dados foram analisados usando o teste T de Student, para amostras independentes, a 0,05 de significância. A aplicação aérea com menor volume de calda (de 30 L ha-1) proporcionou deposição de calda fungicida e produtividade maiores que as da aplicação com 40 L ha-1. A angulação dos bicos de pulverização na barra da aeronave voltados para trás, de forma a produzir gotas maiores, não interferiu no resultado da aplicação, demonstrando ser uma alternativa viável para a redução de deriva. A aplicação aérea com gotas finas e médias proporcionou maior deposição de calda nas folhas de cana-de-açúcar e menor perda para o solo, em comparação com a aplicação terrestre com gotas extremamente grossas. A aplicação de fungicida gerou incrementos de produtividade superiores a 20 t ha-1, independentemente da forma de aplicação, podendo alcançar 40 t ha-1 com aplicações aéreas. A aplicação aérea proporcionou, em geral, melhores taxas fotossintéticas em relação à aplicação terrestre, com melhor desempenho da fotossíntese e maior concentração das clorofilas a e b no limbo foliar. Não foram detectadas diferenças nas trocas gasosas entre as aplicações aéreas nas distintas condições operacionais de taxa de aplicação e angulação do bico de pulverização na barra.
The application of phytosanitary products in the sugar and ethanol industry has usually targeted pest control. With the epidemic rise in orange rust in sugarcane, caused by fungus Puccinia kuehnii, applications of fungicides are now necessary to protect susceptible varieties. However, few studies have focused on the impacts of the application technology, especially regarding the aerial application and its effects on the plant physiology. This study investigated the different forms of application of fungicides in sugarcane variety SP81-3250 and their association with spray deposition, disease control, productivity, and plant physiology. Experimental units received two different applications of fungicides of the chemical groups strobilurin and triazole. Aerial applications were performed using two different volume rates (30 and 40 L ha-1) and spray bar nozzles in three different angles (135°, 0° and 90 ° to the flight line). The 90° angle, the aerial standard used at sugar factory Usina Vale do Tijuco, was assessed at the second application only. Ground applications were performed using rates of 200 L ha-1 and flat fan spray nozzles with air induction (AI11004-VS). This procedure, used as the ground standard in the sugar factory, was measured in the first application only. The research was divided into two parts. In the first part, spray deposition in the upper canopy and losses to soil were assessed using tracer Brilliant Blue for absorbance spectrophotometry. It addition, sugarcane biometrics was measured, droplet spectrum was analyzed through the assessment of impacts on water sensitive paper, and disease severity on leaves was quantified using a digital image analysis software program. In the second part, gas exchange was assessed using gas analyzer IRGA, and the amount of chlorophyll a and b was measured using a chlorophyll meter. Data were analyzed using Student’s t test for independent samples, with significance set at 0.05. Aerial application with lower volume rates (30 L ha-1) provided greater deposition of fungicide and greater productivity than the application with 40 L ha-1. The angle of the spray nozzles facing backwards in the plane bar, so as to produce larger droplets, did not influence the application result, and thus, proved to be a viable alternative to reduce drift. Aerial applications with fine and medium droplets provided higher spray deposition on sugarcane leaves and less loss to soil compared to ground applications with extremely coarse droplets. Fungicide application generated increases in productivity of over 20 t ha-1, regardless of application form, reaching 40 t ha-1 with aerial applications. Aerial application provided generally better photosynthetic rates compared to ground application, with better photosynthesis performance and higher concentration of chlorophyll a and b in the leaf blade compared to ground application. No differences were found in gas exchange across the air applications in different operating conditions for volume rates and angles of the spray bar nozzle.
Dissertação (Mestrado)

Encapsulation, specifically microencapsulation is an old technology with increasing applications in pharmaceutical, agrochemical, environmental, food, and cosmetic spaces. In the past two decades, the advancements in the field of nanotechnology opened the door for applying the encapsulation technology at the nanoscale level. Nanoencapsulation is highly utilized in designing effective drug delivery systems (DDSs) due to the fact that delivery of the encapsulated therapeutic/diagnostic agents to various sites in the human body depends on the size of the nanoparticles. Compared to microencapsulation, nanoencapsulation has superior performance which can improve bioavailability, increase drug solubility, delay or control drug release and enhance active/passive targeting of bioactive agents to the sites of action. Encapsulation, either micro- or nanoencapsulation is employed for the conventional pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals, biologics, or bioactive drugs from natural sources as well as for diagnostics such as biomarkers. The outcome of any encapsulation process depends on the technique employed and the encapsulating material. This chapter discusses in details (1) various physical, mechanical, thermal, chemical, and physicochemical encapsulation techniques, (2) types and classifications of natural polymers (polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids) as safer, biocompatible and biodegradable encapsulating materials, and (3) the recent advances in using lipids for therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Polysaccharides and proteins are covered in the second part of this chapter.

Encapsulation, specifically microencapsulation is an old technology with increasing applications in pharmaceutical, agrochemical, environmental, food, and cosmetic spaces. In the past two decades, the advancements in the field of nanotechnology opened the door for applying the encapsulation technology at the nanoscale level. Nanoencapsulation is highly utilized in designing effective drug delivery systems (DDSs) due to the fact that delivery of the encapsulated therapeutic/diagnostic agents to various sites in the human body depends on the size of the nanoparticles. Compared to microencapsulation, nanoencapsulation has superior performance which can improve bioavailability, increase drug solubility, delay or control drug release and enhance active/passive targeting of bioactive agents to the sites of action. Encapsulation, either micro- or nanoencapsulation is employed for the conventional pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals, biologics, or bioactive drugs from natural sources as well as for diagnostics such as biomarkers. The outcome of any encapsulation process depends on the technique employed and the encapsulating material. This chapter discusses in details (1) various physical, mechanical, thermal, chemical, and physicochemical encapsulation techniques, (2) types and classifications of natural polymers (polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids) as safer, biocompatible and biodegradable encapsulating materials, and (3) the recent advances in using lipids for therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Polysaccharides and proteins are covered in the second part of this chapter.