Technical solutions to reduce drift of pesticides in apple orchards of Trentino

Drift of pesticides is a critical element in achieving the plant protection management. As a phenomenon influenced by multiple factors is likely to be reduced, but not totally eliminated. Actually in Province of Trento most growers who sprays next to drift sensitive areas (houses, roads, bicycle patches, etc.) use mainly spray lances. To mitigate drift many other technologies are available along with several techniques. On the other hand the differences between training and pruning systems, planting distances, cultivation environments, etc., must be taken into consideration to achieve the highest level of reduction. The main characteristics of the rural landscape of Trentino are: strict connection with inhabited areas, medium or steep slope of most apple plots and intensive orchard growing with height of trees up to four meters. Comparative tests have been carried out in 2009 during different wind conditions (almost total absence and presence of wind) to verify the mitigation ability of anti-drift nozzles, used with different sprayer adjustments and coupled with other devices. Due to the instability of wind conditions during treatments, as to ensure the maximum level of drift reduction, other technical solutions were tested in 2011 and resulted adoptable together with the devices already tested.