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Orchard Sprayer Calibrations Grass Filter Strip Installations

Orchard Sprayer Calibrations Grass Filter Strip Installations. Coalition for Urban/Rural Environmental Stewardship Non-profit organization: agricultural, urban projects Promote stewardship, proper use of pesticides, nutrients Parry Klassen, Executive Director

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Orchard Sprayer Calibrations Grass Filter Strip Installations

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  1. Orchard Sprayer CalibrationsGrass Filter Strip Installations • Coalition for Urban/Rural Environmental Stewardship • Non-profit organization: agricultural, urban projects • Promote stewardship, proper use of pesticides, nutrients • Parry Klassen, Executive Director • Tamara Taliaferro, Projects Coordinator • Robert McMurry, Sprayer Calibration Technician • www.curesworks.org Butte County Resource Conservation District • Pia Sevelius, District Manager • Larry Lloyd, Resource Technician • www.buttecountyrcd.org

  2. Schedule On-Farm Sprayer Calibrations Equipment and technician come to your farm Call Tamara Taliaferro: 530-271-5822 Or Sign-up online at: www.curesworks.org “Orchard Sprayer Calibration Clinics” Schedule of upcoming events

  3. Calibration Technician and Equipment will… • Measure the output of each nozzle in gallons per minute • Identify and clean or replace worn and clogged nozzles • Calculate the total output in gallons per acre • Measure uniformity of spray discharge across the entire boom • Rearrange or replace nozzles as needed for uniformity • Adjust pressure as needed

  4. NOZZLE OUTPUT AND LEFT & RIGHT SIDE UNIFORMITY BEFORE CALIBRATION AFTER CALIBRATION LEFT RIGHT LEFT RIGHT

  5. VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION CALIBRATION • Measure vertical distribution of spray • Compare distribution to shape of your orchard tree canopies • Adjust angles of fins and/or nozzles to direct spray at tree canopy/foliage

  6. Legend • Spray above foliage • Spray on foliage • Spray below foliage • Tree Canopy/Foliage • (Optimum spray pattern) VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION CALIBRATION BEFORE AFTER CALIBRATION CALIBRATION

  7. Benefits of Orchard Sprayer Calibrations • Improved nozzle output efficiency • Improved uniformity of spray discharged across boom • Improved vertical distribution of spray on tree canopy • Reduced overspray and underspray means less product entering local waterways through drift and irrigation and storm water runoff • More efficient pesticide application means you save money

  8. Approaches for Orchard BMPs • Application BMPs • Lower label rates • Mix and load properly • Calibrate equipment • Site BMPs • Cover crops: native perennials, legumes • Grassy row centers during dormancy • vegetative filter strips • Grassed waterways Goal: Reduce bare soil conduit

  9. Application BMPs • Managing Drift From Airblast Sprayers • Most drift comes from first and last passes through the orchard • Don’t spray inside of rows 1, 2 and last 2 • Spray outside - inward on perimeter rows, slow down to improve coverage.

  10. Application BMPs • Evaluate aerial vs. ground spray • Establish setback zones (buffers near sensitive areas) • Use drift mitigation practices • Use proper mixing, loading and disposal practices

  11. Structural BMPs(Irrigation or storm runoff) • Basins for water & sediment run-off • Requires modification of drainage system to protect surface water

  12. Irrigation Input BMPs • Irrigation timing • At least 24 hours after application – follow label • Do not over-irrigate – reduce amount of runoff • PAM / calcium in irrigation water

  13. Structural BMPs (Irrigation runoff) • Re-circulation systems (tailwater recovery) • Low-pressure drip or micro-sprinklers • Filter strips

  14. Potential Practices (need more research) • Let grass grow in drainage ditches • Circulate drain water through vegetated ditches or field areas • Circulate drain water through constructed wetlands

  15. Integrated Pest Management: Orchards • Determine need to dormant spray • Selection of dormant season pest management strategies • No dormant spray, in-season spray as needed • OP dormant applications with BMPs • Alternate year dormant applications: a 50% reduction? • Bt sprays at bloom • Spinosad + oil as dormant spray • Non-OP pesticides as dormant sprays (pyrethroids) • Pheromone mating disruption • www.ipm.ucdavis.edu : On-line calculator

  16. FREE FILTER STRIPS! • Butte County Resource Conservation District is offering to install filter strips for FREE. • Scheduling appointments with interested growers in November • Please call: (530) 534-0112 ext. 124

  17. Orchard Filter Strips Water Board grants in Butte-Yuba-Sutter counties Study orchard vegetation effectiveness Install free filter strips Cooperators Sutter County Resource Conservation District Coalition for Urban/Rural Environmental Stewardship Butte County Resource Conservation District

  18. What are “Filter Strips” • Strips or areas of herbaceous vegetation situated between orchard and … • Environmentally Sensitive areas (steams, rivers, wetlands, riparian areas, etc.) • Other cropland • grazing land • forestland • disturbed land

  19. Biggest benefit to orchard growers:Storm Runoff • Filter strips reduce winter storm runoff from orchards • Reduce erosion • Improve water penetration into soil • Habitat biodiversity for beneficial insects • Filter strips slow runoff velocity, capturing sediment

  20. Other Benefits of Filter Strips • Improve water quality by removing… • 75% or more of sediment • 50% or more of nutrients & pesticides • 60% or more of certain pathogens • Provide habitat for wildlife & beneficial insects • Maintain or enhance watershed functions & values

  21. Ideal Locations-- Lower edges (down-gradient edge) of orchards or crop fields where runoff occurs-- Above conservation practices, such as ponds, drainageways, and terraces

  22. Filter Strip Width • Typically, 20 feet wide • Wide enough that: • equipment does not damage sensitive areas • agrichemicals and manure can be safely applied without affecting sensitive areas

  23. Filter Strip Vegetation Desirable Vegetation • Plants with dense top-growth and a fibrous root system • Sturdy, tall perennial grasses • Hardy perennial native grass species Undesirable Vegetation • Short, flexible grasses

  24. Filter Strip MaintenanceNecessary for long-term effectiveness and durability • Mow and remove excessive vegetation regularly • 2-3 times per year if growth is vigorous • Mow to 6-inches • Control unwanted trees, brush and noxious weeds • Inspect after major storms • Remove trapped sediment • Repair eroding areas • Minimize development of erosion channels • Shut off pesticide sprayers when on filter strip

  25. FREE FILTER STRIPS! • Butte County Resource Conservation District is offering to install filter strips for FREE. • Scheduling appointments with interested growers in November • Please call: (530) 534-0112 ext. 124

  26. BMP Effectiveness StudyWinter 2006 • Goal: Study impact of orchard floor management practices on diazinon and esfenvalerate runoff during major storm • 3 test orchards draining into Gilsizer Slough in Sutter County • One with vegetated cover crop • One with bare ground • One disked with native vegetation

  27. Cover Crop Effectiveness Study Overall Results • Ground cover and soil type affected the loads of diazinon and esfenvalerate in runoff • Orchard with planted cover had far less water runoff than orchard with bare ground. • Vegetation reduced the concentration of esfenvalerate in runoff.

  28. Study Results

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