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Innovations in Citrus Weed Control
Dr. William B. McCloskeyDepartment of Plant Sciences
Cooperative ExtensionUniversity of Arizona
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Potential Orchard Floor Management Strategies
Mechanical weed control only (mowing, disking, Perfecta cultivator)
Post-emergence herbicides only (broadcast or spot treatment)
Broadcast herbicide applications waste chemical by spraying bareground
High cost of manual spot spraying
Sensor controlled sprayers – reduce labor costs and avoid spraying bare ground
Pre-emergence herbicides only
Pre-emergence herbicides followed by post-emergence herbicides
Problem of broadcast sprays at low weed densities – use of sensor controlled sprayers
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Weed Seeker Sensor Controlled Spray Nozzle
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Weed Seeker Spray Unit
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Weed Seeker Boom Configuration
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Weed Seeker Tree-Project Goals
The main objectives are:
1) to evaluate the potential for reduced herbicide use in Arizona tree crops with the Weed Seeker sprayer;
2) evaluate the utility of the Weed Seeker used with and without preemergence herbicides, and
3) collect tree yields and field operational data in order to develop crop budgets and determine the economics of using the sensor controlled sprayer technology.
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Patchen Sprayer Project
Constructed a prototype tractor-mounted sprayer using the PatchenWeedSeeker spray units
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Patchen Sprayer Project
Tractor mounted sprayer
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Patchen Sprayer Project
Tractor mounted sprayer
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Patchen Sprayer Project
Constructed a second WeedSeeker sprayer on a Kawasaki 4WD 3010 Mule
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Patchen Sprayer Project
Sprayer on Kawasaki 3010 4WD Mule
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Patchen Sprayer Project
Sprayer on Kawasaki 3010 4WD Mule
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Patchen/Kawasaki Mule Sprayer
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Patchen/Kawasaki Mule Sprayer
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Patchen/Kawasaki Mule Sprayer
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Patchen/Kawasaki Mule Sprayer
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Digital Image Analyzed For Percent Weed Ground Cover
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Digital Image Analyzed For Percent Weed Ground Cover
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Roundup Ultramax Spray Volumes – Oct. 15, 2001
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Spra
y Vo
lum
e (g
al/p
lot)
1st Roundup Application
Weed Seeker-RoundupPOST
Weed Seeker-PREE/Roundup+POST
Conventional Srayer-Roundup POST
Plots were 0.38 acres
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H1 - Weed Seeker Sprayer, Roundup POST
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H2 - Weed Seeker Sprayer, PREE + Roundup POST
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H3 - Conventional Sprayer – Roundup POST
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Volume of Spray Per Plot (GPA)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Sp
ary
Vo
lum
e/P
lot
(ga
l/a
cre
)
H1 H2 H3Patchen/Perfecta Treatments
10/15/200112/6/20013/4/2002
H1 – Weed Seeker-POSTH2 – PREE followed by
Weed Seeker-POSTH3 – Conventional POST
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Percent of Ground Surface Sprayed
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Pe
rce
nt
of
Gro
un
d S
pra
yed
H1 H2 H3Patchen/Perfecta Treatments
10/15/200112/6/20013/4/2002
H1 – Weed Seeker-POSTH2 – PREE followed by
Weed Seeker-POSTH3 – Conventional POST
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Weed Seeker Project Results & Current Activity
Weed Seeker optically detects and sprays weeds; does not spray bare ground.
Chemical and spray volume use was reduced an average of 53% in 2001 with a range of 29 to 70% depending on treatment.
Lowest chemical and spray volume amounts were associated with low weed densities (~3.5% ground cover).
Preemergence herbicide use significantly reduced weed densities compared to total postemergence herbicide treatments.
Collaboration with Trent Teegerstrom to work on economics of Weed Seeker sprayer use.
Thanks for support from:
Arizona Citrus Research CouncilYuma Mesa Pest Abatement DistrictUniversity of Arizona Cooperative Extension IPM GrantArizona Department of Agriculture – Specialty Crops Grant ProgramGlen Curtis for use of an orchard block