Spray volume adjustment for pesticide applications against aphids in citrus: Validation of CitrusVol tool

IF 2.5 2区农林科学 Q1 AGRONOMY

Crop Protection Pub Date : 2025-03-06 DOI:10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107187

Alberto Fonte, Cruz Garcerá, Patricia Chueca

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Aphids are key pests of citrus in Spain. The most abundant aphid species in Mediterranean citrus are Aphis gossypii and Aphis spiraecola. Foliar applications of pesticides are commonly used with aphid management programs. However, these applications are usually carried out in a non-optimised way, using water volume rates that are higher than necessary. CitrusVol is a decision support tool that recommends an optimal volume rate adjusted to the vegetation characteristics, the pest, and the pesticide. It has been validated for other important citrus pests such as Aonidiella aurantii and Tetranychus urticae but not for aphids. In this work, the Proof-CitrusVol version was evaluated by comparing the aphid control efficacy of applications adjusted using the tool versus conventional higher-volume applications. Based on insufficient aphid control during the initial year of field testing, the tool was modified, and a new version was subsequently validated. The field trial results showed that CitrusVol reduced the spray volume by 29% on average without affecting control efficacy compared with conventional applications. Consequently, CitrusVol reduced the operational time by 16 h/100 ha per application because of fewer refills of the sprayer tank. This represents a savings in fuel consumption of 159 L/100 ha and CO₂ emissions reduction of 415 kg CO₂/100 ha per application. Accordingly, CitrusVol allows optimisation of spray applications against aphids in citrus, making them more profitable and environmentally sustainable than the conventional applications.

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来源期刊

Crop Protection 农林科学-农艺学

CiteScore

6.10

自引率

3.60%

发文量

200

审稿时长

29 days

期刊介绍： The Editors of Crop Protection especially welcome papers describing an interdisciplinary approach showing how different control strategies can be integrated into practical pest management programs, covering high and low input agricultural systems worldwide. Crop Protection particularly emphasizes the practical aspects of control in the field and for protected crops, and includes work which may lead in the near future to more effective control. The journal does not duplicate the many existing excellent biological science journals, which deal mainly with the more fundamental aspects of plant pathology, applied zoology and weed science. Crop Protection covers all practical aspects of pest, disease and weed control, including the following topics: -Abiotic damage- Agronomic control methods- Assessment of pest and disease damage- Molecular methods for the detection and assessment of pests and diseases- Biological control- Biorational pesticides- Control of animal pests of world crops- Control of diseases of crop plants caused by microorganisms- Control of weeds and integrated management- Economic considerations- Effects of plant growth regulators- Environmental benefits of reduced pesticide use- Environmental effects of pesticides- Epidemiology of pests and diseases in relation to control- GM Crops, and genetic engineering applications- Importance and control of postharvest crop losses- Integrated control- Interrelationships and compatibility among different control strategies- Invasive species as they relate to implications for crop protection- Pesticide application methods- Pest management- Phytobiomes for pest and disease control- Resistance management- Sampling and monitoring schemes for diseases, nematodes, pests and weeds.