Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
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application may be less uniform than with sprays
•
difficult to get foliar adherence.
B. GRANULAR APPLICATORS
Granular applicators are used mainly in agricultural, ornamental turf, for-
estry, and aquatic pest control. They distribute granular pesticides by several
different methods, including:
•
forced air
•
spinning or whirling discs as fertilizer spreaders(
Figure 8.21
)
•
multiple gravity-feed outlets (lawn spreaders, grain drills)
•
soil injectors (furrow treatments)
•
ram-air (agricultural aircraft)
Granular applicators may be designed to apply the pesticides:
•
broadcast—even distribution over the entire area
•
to specific areas—banding, in-furrow, side-dress
•
by drilling—soil incorporation or soil injection.
Advantages:
•
inexpensive
•
simple in design
•
eliminates mixing—no water needed
•
minimal drift hazard
less exposure hazard to applicator.
Limitations:
•
•
high cost for pesticides
•
limited use against some pests because granules will not adhere
to most foliage
•
need to calibrate for each different granular formulation
•
spinning disc types may give poor lateral distribution, especially
on side slopes.
