Economical Pesticide Application: The Reasons for Controlled Droplet Application

The true costs of pesticide application are still ill-defined and frequently misconceived, despite the fact that they form a large, and growing, proportion of the costs of crop protection. Increased efficiency in the application of pesticides is vital for the achievement of maximum economic yield and is a necessary concomitant of the widespread adoption of Integrated Pest Management programs.

Controlled droplet application (CDA) represents a significant advance in the precision of pesticide application over conventional spraying techniques utilizing hydraulic nozzles. It offers advantages in the logistics of the spraying operation as well as reduced environmental contamination and greater potential operator safety. However, a massive and co-ordinated research effort is required to take full advantage of the potential benefits of CDA and to truly advance crop protection as a science.