NWGIC - National Wine and Grape Industry Centre

Improving Spray Application in the Vineyard Workshop

Dr Andrew Landers, Cornell University NY USA

Will be visiting a region near you

Improving Spray Application in the Vineyard

Dr Landers studied and taught agricultural engineering in England. He obtained his masters degree at Cranfield University and his PhD at the University of Bath. His thesis work involved the development of a direct injection crop sprayer, leading to variable rate application in precision farming. He taught agricultural students at the Royal Agricultural College before becoming head of the engineering department at Harper Adams University. He joined the faculty at Cornell University in 1998, and is currently based at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva. He directs the application technology program and his teaching/extension/research appointment involves the use of engineering solutions to provide safer spraying. His group works with application systems in grapes, apples, vegetables and turf grass and he believes in a multi-disciplinary approach to pesticide application, working with biologists to ensure engineering techniques are biologically effective. Dr. Landers is author of the classic text book, Farm Machinery: Selection, investment and management.

Seminar (1h)

How droplets are formed and how we can make better use of them
The answer is blowing in the wind - how airflow affects penetration and deposition - how we can adjust airfllow to improve deposition
Reducing drift - inexpensive ways of getting the spray onto the target - modifications from $0 to $24,000
Developments in vineyard spraying in Europe and North America

Field demonstration (1.5h)

Practical ways to improve deposition and reduce drift - simple modifications to the sprayer
How can we tell where the spray is going? - effective tracer techniques

Workshop program dates and contacts.

Mon 29 Sept	Adelaide Hills, SA	Stefan Chandler	schandler@nepenthe.com.au
Tue 30 Sept	Barossa Valley, SA	Mike McCarthy	mccarthy.michael@saugov.sa.gov.au
Thu 2 Oct	Coonawarra, SA	Kerry DeGaris	Kerry.DeGaris@stonehavenvineyards.com.au
Fri 3 Oct	Mt Benson, SA	Nigel Squire	nigel@frogisland.com.au
Tues 7 Oct	McLaren Vale, SA	Amy Richards	amy@mclarenvale.info
Wed 8 Oct	Clare, SA	Ali Phillips	Alison.Phillips@leasingham-wines.com.au
Thu 9 Oct	Loxton, SA	Tim Smythe	tim.smythe@riverlandwine.org.au
Fri 10 Oct	Mildura, Vic	Greg Moulds	Greg.Moulds@dpi.nsw.gov.au
Mon 13 Oct	Griffith, NSW	Kristy Bartrop	kbartrop@wgmb.net.au
Tue 14 Oct	Gundagai, NSW	Leo Quirk	Leo.Quirk@dpi.nsw.gov.au
Wed 15 Oct	Orange, NSW	Jeremy Bright	Jeremy.Bright@dpi.nsw.gov.au
Fri 17 Oct	Margaret River, WA	Diana Fisher	dfisher@agric.wa.gov.au
Mon 20 Oct	Mount Barker, WA	Diana Fisher	dfisher@agric.wa.gov.au
Wed 22 Oct	Yarra Valley, Vic	Kieran Murphy	kieran.murphy@dpi.vic.gov.au
Fri 24 Oct	Tamar Valley, Tas	Stuart Nettlefold	Snettlefold@winetasmania.net.au
Mon 27 October	Coal Valley, Tas	Stuart Nettlefold	Snettlefold@winetasmania.net.au

This initiative is a GWRDC RITA project. Dr Mark Sosnowski of the South Australian Research and Development Institute is the Project Supervisor. National Coordination was lead by the National Extension Steering Commitee. Many thanks to the efforts of the Regional Association hosts and extension contacts. Thanks also to Troy Fisher and the GWRDC team for the "heads up".