Spray deposition on plant surfaces: a modeling approach

Pesticides are widely used in agriculture for the management of pests (weeds, insects or pathogens). They are generally applied as a spray to cover the target (e.g. an insect, leaf surfaces or part of a plant) with pesticide-laden droplets. Spray may, however, be lost to nontarget areas within a crop through deposition on to the soil or on non-target plant surfaces. The plant architecture of the crop and weed species can influence the distribution of the spray droplets. The action of wind may also result in spray moving away from the spray area. By selecting and using spray equipment and techniques that maximise deposition of pesticides onto the target it is possible to both maximise the effectiveness of the pesticide application and reduce the amount of off-target deposition and damage.