Precision Herbicide Application Technologies To Decrease Herbicide Losses in Furrow Irrigation Outflows in a Northeastern Australian Cropping System

Abstract

This study compared water quality benefits of using precision herbicide application technologies in relation to traditional spraying approaches across several pre- and postemergent herbicides in furrow-irrigated canefarming systems. The use of shielded sprayers (herbicide banding) provided herbicide load reductions extending substantially beyond simple proportionate decreases in amount of active herbicide ingredient applied to paddocks. These reductions were due largely to the extra management control available to irrigating growers in relation to where both herbicides and irrigation water can be applied to paddocks, coupled with knowledge of herbicide toxicological and physicochemical properties. Despite more complex herbicide mixtures being applied in banded practices, banding provided capacity for greatly reduced environmental toxicity in off-paddock losses. Similar toxicological and loss profiles of alternative herbicides relative to recently regulated pre-emergent herbicides highlight the need for a carefully considered approach to integrating alternative herbicides into improved pest management.

Quantifying Water Quality Improvements through Use of Precision Herbicide Application Technologies in a Dry-Tropical, Furrow-Irrigated Cropping System

“…The study outcomes largely align with similar recent research from the study area [23,24], with the use of shielded sprayers (and herbicide banding) in furrow irrigated systems providing herbicide load reductions, extending substantially beyond simple proportionate decreases, in the amount of active herbicide ingredient applied to paddocks. These reductions are due to the extra management control available to irrigating growers in relation to where both specific herbicides and irrigation water can be applied to paddocks, a degree of control not available to growers in predominantly rain-fed cane farming systems.…”

“…2,4-D was banded on the hill, while the other knockdown herbicides were banded into the furrow. Paraquat (applied across the entire paddock in conventional treatments, and over crop rows in shielded sprayer treatments), was the only applied herbicide not detected in any runoff samples (at an analytical detection limit of 1 µg/L), paralleling previous paddock water quality monitoring in the region [7,24].…”

“…Furrow irrigation is also a mainstay of Australia's sugarcane industry, particularly in dry-tropical regions (the Burdekin and Mareeba/Dimbulah cane districts), which are almost totally reliant on full furrow irrigation of crops [21,22]. Recent research into furrow irrigated sugarcane farming and precision herbicide application technologies in the GBRCA has highlighted significant reductions in herbicide loads, achieved via band spraying [23,24]. Banded spraying is, however, a rapidly evolving technology, and its adoption can entail a range of practice changes relating to alternative herbicide product selection, often also requiring the application of additional herbicides in more complex mixtures to paddocks.…”

“…GBRCA cane growers are, therefore, increasingly confronted with changes to regulatory agendas and product application rates and windows, new and often unfamiliar herbicide mixtures, uncertainties over the relative environmental impacts of practice change, and pushes towards precision application technologies [13,24]. The objective of this paper is to firstly evaluate the specific herbicide runoff dynamics of banded spraying practices of several priority and alternative herbicides, in comparison with conventional spraying practices at a commercial scale in a furrow irrigated farming system.…”

Effect of Agricultural Land Use on the Water Quality of Polish Lakes: a Regional Approach

“…The new policy of water quality protection and improvement should be based on proper management of the catchment area, and above all on the introduction of appropriate rules for agricultural production aimed at supporting precision farming. Precision agriculture management practices can significantly reduce the amount of nutrients, pesticides, and other crop inputs [38][39]. Catchment management focused on the introduction of cost-effective ecological agricultural systems and was supported by various measures aimed at lake revitalization that would provide the opportunity to restore the good ecological status of lakes in a relatively short period of time.…”