Managing Pesticide Managing Pesticide Application in Variable Application in Variable

Weather ConditionsWeather ConditionsPaul JepsonPaul Jepson

Integrated Plant Protection CenterIntegrated Plant Protection CenterOregon State UniversityOregon State University

Presentation to EPA Region 10, Seattle, April 19th, 2006

Spray application presents Spray application presents a major challengea major challenge

Optimize spray quality for efficient Optimize spray quality for efficient applicationapplication

vsvsMinimize drift and off target Minimize drift and off target

contaminationcontamination

Pesticide utilization efficiency is poorPesticide utilization efficiency is poor(Graham-Bryce, 1977)

6.0%LocustsAerial swarm spray

Dieldrin

0.02%Capsids on Cocoa

Foliar sprayLindane

0.03%Aphids on field beans

Foliar sprayDimethoate

0.0015%Wheat bulb fly larvae

Seed treatmentDieldrin

0.000008%Aphids on sugar beet

Foliar sprayDemeton-S-methyl

Efficiency of Efficiency of utilizationutilization

TargetTargetApplication Application methodmethod

PesticidePesticide

Pesticides leave target sites by many pathways including driftPesticides leave target sites by many pathways including drift

The Hale centrifugal sprayer, capable of projecting spray upwards 30ft

The Hurst hang-on sprayer

Mist blowers and drift(Garman, 1953)

50 gals/min, 1mph, gives 11.2 gals per tree, at 20 ft tree spacing

Dormant spraying near Mill CreekDormant spraying near Mill Creek

Spray emerging above a 20ft high Spray emerging above a 20ft high mature tree canopymature tree canopy

Photo’s by Mike Omeg: http://www.wyeastrcd.org/ifpnet/photos.htm

Hood River Case Study: Hood River Case Study: BMPsBMPs• Eliminate OP application in sensitive areas

during pre-bloom period• Accurately calibrate sprayers to reduce

likelihood of over-application• Better direct spray application to tree foliage and

turn off outside nozzles at the ends of rows and at field edges to reduce drift

•• Options for modified sprayers or application Options for modified sprayers or application practices?practices?

Brian Nakamura, Kristen Kerwin (HRGSA), with OSU and multiple agencies and stakeholders

Application engineering

OSU, MCAREC

Nagarajan Ramalingam

Paul Jepson

Simple devices to restrict airflow

The Donut!The Donut!

What are the weather drivers of What are the weather drivers of drift?drift?

‘Rules of thumb’ approach from iSNAP education program

Neutral (mild breeze, >3 to <9mph) with considerable mixing of surface air), wind direction away from sensitive areas, cool and humid conditions

Optimum conditions

First: what are the best conditions to First: what are the best conditions to spray in?spray in?

As above, with high temperature and/or low humidity

Hazard

High wind or gusts (particularly > 9mph), towards sensitive areas

Caution

Wind Drift

Drift and weather conditionsDrift and weather conditions

Powerful thermals, with turbulence, and low humidity (<40 %), particularly at high temperatures (70-80F)

Sunny, generating thermals with slight eddies, and falling humidity

Thermal Drift

Drift and weather conditionsDrift and weather conditions

Cool, cloudless, stable conditions, with slight wind

Cool, stable air with low surface mixingInversion Drift

Drift and weather conditionsDrift and weather conditions

Application management to avoid Application management to avoid driftdrift

Opportunities for drift mapping, and validation of rules of thumb

General Drift Management GuidanceGeneral Drift Management Guidance

Plan ahead (NOW!) to protect sensitive sitesPlan ahead (NOW!) to protect sensitive sites

• Map each field, including areas to be protected

• Consider climate at the different times you spray (including wind direction)

• Site buffer zones to intercept possible drift, downwind from sprayed sites

• Invest in drift reduction technologies (DRT’s)

Farm maps identify Farm maps identify locations and directions of locations and directions of

sensitive sitessensitive sites

http://http://www.ocs.oregonstate.edu/index.htmlwww.ocs.oregonstate.edu/index.html

Portland

March-June

Olympia

March-June

Seasonal weather are available on state climatology web sites e.Seasonal weather are available on state climatology web sites e.g. g. wind roseswind roses

Wind Roses, Eugene, Jan-March

Direction of Direction of concern: Sconcern: S--NN

Wind Roses Eugene Apr-JuneDirections of concern: SDirections of concern: S--N & NN & N--S (April), S (April),

increasingly Nincreasingly N--S through JuneS through June

Wind Roses, Eugene, JulyWind Roses, Eugene, July--SeptSeptDirections of concern: NDirections of concern: N--S predominates, S predominates, but becoming more mixed by late summerbut becoming more mixed by late summer

Wind Roses, Eugene, OctWind Roses, Eugene, Oct--DecDec

Directions of Directions of concern: Nconcern: N--S and SS and S--N N with other southerlieswith other southerlies

Seasonal drift risk

•• Wind drift:Wind drift: Wind speeds > 9mph•• Thermal drift:Thermal drift: Temp > 70oF, RH <40%•• Inversion drift:Inversion drift: Stable air, (following cool,

cloudless nights in spring and fall)

Calendar ofCalendar of LOWLOW risk,risk, CAUTIONCAUTION andand HAZARDHAZARD for for wind, thermal and inversion drift, Eugenewind, thermal and inversion drift, Eugene

1111991313111199999988777710101212Proportion calmProportion calm

9479624339393838495458647380RH 4pmRH 4pm

898780656057636671788680RH 10amRH 10am

46526577778282828274746761565147Mean max tempMean max temp

1515141499131313131515141412121414181817171717Hazard (Prop. >10.5k)Hazard (Prop. >10.5k)

293326313437343433323128Caution (Prop. 6.5Caution (Prop. 6.5--10.5k)10.5k)

444451444139424644434242Low wind drift riskLow wind drift risk(Prop. <6.5 knots)(Prop. <6.5 knots)

877788878888Mean wind speed Mean wind speed

DDNNOOSSAAJJJJMMAAMMFFJJ

Seasonal drift riskSeasonal drift risk

•• Wind drift:Wind drift: Wind speeds > 9mph–– Risky conditions 60% of the time, all yearRisky conditions 60% of the time, all year

•• Thermal drift:Thermal drift: Temp > 70oF, RH <40%–– High risk after noon, June to SeptemberHigh risk after noon, June to September

•• Inversion drift:Inversion drift: Stable air, (following cool, cloudless nights in spring and fall)–– Risk 7Risk 7--12%, particularly October12%, particularly October--March March

(some summer inversions)(some summer inversions)

Opportunities for seasonal maps using historic data

General Drift Management GuidanceGeneral Drift Management Guidance

Develop a strategy for responding to marginal Develop a strategy for responding to marginal and hazardous conditionsand hazardous conditions

• Use weather forecasts

• Buy equipment to measure wind speed and direction, air temperature and humidity on spray days

• Spray less sensitive areas on marginal days, or only spray part of fields that are upwind of sensitive sites

• Use less hazardous materials, increased drop size, lower ground speed, lower air volume, in parts of field near sensitive sites

Weather forecasts for weekly Weather forecasts for weekly planningplanning

• Use NWS graphical forecasts to help manage application strategy

• http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/graphical/sectors/

• See weekly view

Graphical forecastsGraphical forecasts

Wind speed and direction Wind speed and direction

Thermal drift avoidance Thermal drift avoidance

Zones of caution and hazard for thermal drift

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Temperature

Rela

tive

hum

idity

Caution Hazard50 68 86

Degrees F

Buy a handBuy a hand--held unit for temperature, humidity, wind speed (hunting catalogheld unit for temperature, humidity, wind speed (hunting catalogs)s)

Oregon State University IPPC Oregon State University IPPC Online Programs: IPM Decision Online Programs: IPM Decision

Support ToolsSupport ToolsPaul Jepson & Leonard CoopPaul Jepson & Leonard Coop

Integrated Plant Protection CenterIntegrated Plant Protection CenterOregon State UniversityOregon State University

DegreeDegree--day calculator and models integrated with 6,300+ day calculator and models integrated with 6,300+ weather stationsweather stations

Len CoopLen Coop -- IPPC, Oregon State University IPPC, Oregon State University Christopher DalyChristopher Daly, Director, Spatial Climate Analysis Service, Oregon State , Director, Spatial Climate Analysis Service, Oregon State UniversityUniversityAlan FoxAlan Fox –– Foxweather, LCC Foxweather, LCC Gary Grove Gary Grove -- Washington State University Washington State University Doug GublerDoug Gubler –– University California University California Paul Jepson Paul Jepson –– Director, IPPC, Oregon State University Director, IPPC, Oregon State University Ken JohnsonKen Johnson –– Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University Walter MahaffeeWalter Mahaffee –– USDAUSDA--ARS ARS William PfenderWilliam Pfender –– USDAUSDA--ARS ARS Fran PierceFran Pierce -- Director, Center for Precision Agricultural Systems, WashingtonDirector, Center for Precision Agricultural Systems, WashingtonState UniversityState UniversityJoyce StrandJoyce Strand -- University of California University of California -- Information Systems Manager and Information Systems Manager and MeteorologistMeteorologistCarla S. Thomas Carla S. Thomas --National Plant Diagnostic Network, University California National Plant Diagnostic Network, University California

W IPMC Weather WorkgroupW IPMC Weather Workgroup

PRISM International Climate MappingPRISM International Climate Mapping

Western Canada

Pacific BasinChina

Taiwan

MongoliaEuropean Alps

Temperature, Rainfall, Humidity Maps: all maps are stateTemperature, Rainfall, Humidity Maps: all maps are state--ofof--thethe--art, and are used as the standard for evaluation of other art, and are used as the standard for evaluation of other

methodsmethods

Oregon Annual Precipitation

Mean Annual Precipitation, 1961-90

Full PRISM ModelMax ~ 3300 mm

Simple distance interpolationMax ~ 7900 mm

Daily Online DegreeDaily Online Degree--Day Maps: 48 contiguous statesDay Maps: 48 contiguous states

Now available nationNow available nation--wide wide e.g. 50 Degree threshold e.g. 50 Degree threshold –– Pennsylvania Jan. 1 Pennsylvania Jan. 1 –– June 13, 2005June 13, 2005

Model Runs0

10 0020 0030 0040 0050 006 00 070 0080 009 00 0

10 00 01100012000130001400015000

Calculator/model usage per year

199920002002200320042005 (est)

•Degree-day/Phenology Calc./Model Usage – PNWPEST.ORG •Example 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005-Oct24•================================================================================•Degree-Day Calculator generic 454 3219 6048 5162 7761 7599•codling moth [apple & pear] 83 1123 2019 2053 2428 1827•fire blight [apple & pear] 17 300 699 1115 778 560•

Hood River, OR Hood River, OR –– tree fruittree fruit1. 2 km resolution2. 100 m resolution3. 30 m res. - online DD

mapping tool

Prototype Products in Development 1. DPEP (Date of Phenological Event Prediction) maps

Site specific forecast models

GFS forecast model (up to 10 days) -> CALMET + MtnRTemps -> FL Leaf Wetness (orig. Kim et al. - Iowa

State) -> numerous plant disease risk models at ca 2 KM resolution

Fox weather

GFS_CALMET 12hr forecast surface wind plot valid 1800 UTC / 1000 PST 31 March 2006. Full barb=10 kt, half barb=5 kt, no barb=2.5 kt.

2.5km resolution weather forecasting (Fox Weather, RTP Environmental, Inc., IPPC)

Down-scaling wind from 60km-2.5km resolution

View small scale details in wind speed and direction

e.g. breeze flowing down mountain-sides, varying height of the mixing layer (April 1st, 1600PST)

GFS_CALMET 12hr Forecast of Mixing Height valid 1000 PST March 31, 2006.

Map of the topography of the mixing layer as solar heating breaks up a surface inversion

May be used with wind data to predict areas of concentration of aerosols, and elevations where aerosols will tend to be highest

GFS_CALMET 12hr Forecast of Pasquill-Gifford Stability Class valid 1000 PST 31 March 2006.

Stability of the lower atmosphere

Beginning to show detail in mountain or hill areas where surface heating begins to form thermals where there is warm upslope air flow

Forecasting opportunitiesForecasting opportunities

• Input high resolution forecasts to atmospheric dispersion models– Predict downwind concentration and

deposition rates of pesticide drift• Sites-specific pesticide drift management

guidance• Fox weather, RTP, IPPC, development of

drift management and forecasting tools