ARS | Publication request: Spray technologies for insect and disease control in ornamental nurseries

Submitted to: Nursery Management and Production
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: April 26, 2011
Publication Date: May 15, 2011
Citation: Zhu, H., Zondag, R. 2011. Spray technologies for insect and disease control in ornamental nurseries. Nursery Management and Production. 58-61.

Technical Abstract: Despite stringent market requirements for blemish-free ornamentals, applications of pesticides and other pest or disease control strategies have helped to achieve this goal. However, proficient applications of pesticide are often complicated by many factors. Pesticide applications in nursery crops in particular, have their own set of constraints and must contend with the canopy characteristics of many plant varieties and species. This paper reviewed the advantages and disadvantages of custom-designed and commercially produced sprayers currently used in ornamental nursery production, and advised that selection of a pesticide sprayer must consider the capabilities of that equipment to effectively deliver the pesticide sprays under those specific conditions. The paper also addressed the development of new sprayers for nursery crops. These new sprayers will have to deliver pesticides economically, accurately and only require minimum human inputs during the entire spray application process. To achieve this task, the use of intelligent or semi-intelligent technologies that are safe and use-friendly, and apply pesticide rates to match canopy size, shape and density is very likely.