Application of Agrochemical Technologies in Crop Protection

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2024 | Viewed by 2707

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Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Rod. BR 050, Km 78, Uberlândia 38410-337, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Interests: pesticide application technology; precision farming
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to climate change, uneven food distribution, and other reasons, the global demand for food continues to increase, which requires continuous increases in production. In view of this, farmers need to use technologies that increase productivity, including the use of agrochemicals, such as herbicides, fungicides insecticides, and fertilizers.

Agrochemical technological development has changed dramatically in recent years, not only with the introduction of active ingredients with new modes of action but also with fundamental changes in application methods. In addition to maximizing their efficacy, prevention of environmental damage and sustainability indicators must be taken into consideration.

The journal Plants will publish a special issue on the use of agrochemicals in crop protection. This Special Issue will focus on innovative research to optimize pesticide and fertilizer applications in crops. We invite authors to submit manuscripts on the technical development and practical performance of agrochemical application technologies. We welcome new research, reviews, and opinion articles covering all relevant topics to improve agrochemical use efficiency, reduce agrochemicals’ impact on crops, and increase production.

Prof. Dr. João Paulo Arantes Rodrigues Da Cunha
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • crop protection
  • pesticide application technology
  • precision farming
  • sprayers
  • crop production
  • agricultural spraying
  • chemical and biological control
  • precision agricultural aviation
  • novel technologies on the use of agrochemicals
  • spray drones

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1469 KiB  
Article
Homobrassinolide Delays Huanglongbing Progression in Newly Planted Citrus (Citrus sinensis) Trees
by Meritxell Pérez-Hedo, Alberto Urbaneja and Fernando Alférez
Plants 2024, 13(9), 1229; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13091229 - 29 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1145
Abstract
Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, is a devastating disease impacting citrus trees worldwide, with severe effects particularly noted in Florida. Current strategies to combat HLB focus on aggressive replanting, despite the high susceptibility of young trees to infection. In this context, it is [...] Read more.
Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, is a devastating disease impacting citrus trees worldwide, with severe effects particularly noted in Florida. Current strategies to combat HLB focus on aggressive replanting, despite the high susceptibility of young trees to infection. In this context, it is critical to explore agronomic practices that can enhance the health and resistance of young citrus trees to HLB. Here, we demonstrate that treatment with homobrassinolide (HBr), a type of brassinosteroid, in newly planted citrus (Citrus sinensis) trees can delay HLB infection and improve tree health amidst the high psyllid pressure conditions endemic to Florida. Our study reveals a significant reduction in HLB infection rates in HBr-treated trees compared to control trees, with only 25% of treated trees testing positive for HLB by six months, in contrast to 100% infection in untreated trees. This delay in infection may be attributed to HBr inducing an immune response and negatively impacting psyllid performance, as subsequently demonstrated in a greenhouse experiment. Our findings suggest that HBr applications could serve as a viable strategy to enhance the resilience of citrus production against HLB, underscoring the need for further investigation into their mechanisms of action and potential role in a comprehensive pest and disease management strategy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Agrochemical Technologies in Crop Protection)
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17 pages, 2118 KiB  
Article
Control of Urochloa decumbens Using Glyphosate Applied by Remotely Piloted Aircraft and Ground Sprayer with Different Spray Nozzles
by Luana de Lima Lopes, João Paulo Arantes Rodrigues da Cunha, Quintiliano Siqueira Schroden Nomelini and Cleyton Batista de Alvarenga
Plants 2024, 13(6), 757; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13060757 - 7 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1141
Abstract
The use of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) to spray pesticides currently occurs, but knowledge about this technology is lacking due to the different locations, targets, and products applied. The objective of this study was to evaluate the control of Urochloa decumbens with glyphosate [...] Read more.
The use of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) to spray pesticides currently occurs, but knowledge about this technology is lacking due to the different locations, targets, and products applied. The objective of this study was to evaluate the control of Urochloa decumbens with glyphosate applied using an RPA (10 L ha−1) equipped with different spray nozzles (XR 11001 and AirMix 11001). For the purpose of comparison, ground application was also performed (100 L ha−1). The deposition was evaluated by means of the quantification of a tracer by spectrophotometry, the droplet spectrum was evaluated with water-sensitive paper, and the control efficiency was evaluated based on visual measurements with percentage scores. Statistical process control was used to analyse the quality of the deposition in the area. The results showed that the application via RPA presented a greater amount of tracer on the leaves than the ground application, suggesting that the former is a good option for application, even providing a lower coverage and number of droplets per area. Both application methods were effective at controlling Urochloa decumbens. The nozzles showed potential for use in applications, with control efficiency higher than 84% from 21 days after application. The percentage of droplets smaller than 100 μm in the applications was less than 5%. No nonrandom behaviour was observed during deposition, indicating a high-quality process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Agrochemical Technologies in Crop Protection)
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