Strategies for Reduced Herbicide Use in Integrated Pest Management

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

“…In contrast to traditional broadcast applications of pre-emergent, residual herbicides in many crops, where herbicides are applied across the entire crop rows and inter-rows (resulting in 100% herbicidal coverage of the paddock), herbicide applications can be reduced by restricting application to a band across the top of the crop row. Although band spraying is not a new concept, economic and environmental drivers, particularly the emergence of precision farming techniques such as improved sprayer application technologies and weed sensing capacities, global positioning systems (GPS), and other guidance techniques have helped promote band spraying as a practical alternative tool in more sustainable pesticide use strategies . Some band sprayer approaches utilize banding on the crop row in conjunction with inter-row mechanical hoeing to remove weeds. , Dual spray line systems have been recently developed to simultaneously apply two tank mixes at the same time, utilizing shielded sprays for herbicide application within the row in combination with a second simultaneous spray over the row with a separate spray line .…”