Particle Drift Evaluation of Tractor Operated Sprayers

Experiment was conducted to evaluate the particle drift and spray deposition from there spraying equipments i.e. air sleeve boom, boom sprayer and aero blast sprayer in the laboratory for meteorological variables like wind speed (1.5 m/s, 1.7 m/s and 1.8 m/s), temperature (22 °C, 28 °C and 34 °C), relative humidity (54 %, 58 % and 69 %). Spray deposition was measured in to the canopy of cotton plant at six different positions in the form of droplet size (VMD), uniformity coefficient and droplet density. The highest drift was observed in aero blast sprayer followed by boom with least drift in air sleeve boom sprayer. Maximum amount of drift was observed in 0.4 to 0.9 meter zone area at 5 and 10 meter distance. The amount of drift was significantly increased with increases in temperature and wind velocity. The amount of drift was significantly decreased with decrease in humidity. The amount of drift was significantly higher with decrease in droplet size (VMD) and increase in droplet density.

He is presently working as Senior Research Fellow in College of Technology and Engineering, MPUAT, Udaipur. He completed his Masters degree in Farm Machinery and Power Engineering from MPUAT, Udaipur, Rajasthan (India).