| Current
AAES research projects include:
PI FL DACS 2007- $23,837.00 Effects of Droplet Size, Air Blast Strength and Application Angle for Barrier Treatment Equipment
The use of barrier treatments for the control of adult mosquitoes is coming back into favour in Florida. The label language describing how to apply the compounds however, recommends an antiquated application process, drench spraying. Spraying to run off or drench applications are extremely wasteful. This project will investigate the machine settings required to create a spray distribution which returns maximum control for minimum chemical output. More importantly the effective spray distributions will be characterized and provided to operators to enable them to optimize their own machinery.
PI FL DCAS 2005-2007 $105,000.00 Characterization of the Optimum Field Droplet Size for Aerial Applications of Permethrin.
A single piece of research showed that a 15µm average drop size was better than a 60µm average drop size. This created an uproar resulting in many systems being developed that could reach this new smaller droplet size distribution. This one investigation into the dispersal of pesticides is not sufficient. The downwind dispersal of aerially applied adulticides is a highly complicated process one that will change; be dynamic, with each individual application situation. This project has been designed to identify some of the fundamental processes governing chemical flux. The effects of droplet size and aircraft wake and altitude will be investigated over a range of relevant meteorological conditions. The goal of this project is to identify engineering controls to respond to the meteorological change which governs whether control is achieved or not.
PI
USDA CBG 2003-2006 Grant. Development
of applied techniques for precision application
and dose reduction utilizing remotely sensed data
to target larvicide applications - $294,000.00
Mosquitoes
are endemic to almost every part of Florida and
as a result so is the requirement of pesticide
application. To reduce resistance problems, environmental
contamination and reduce costs we need to control
our chemical output. This project proposes to
do just that via the implementation of semi real
time remotely sensed data for precision application
of larvicides. Areas of mosquito larval development
are defined by specific water and vegetative assemblies.
Once the breeding zone is found we can react with
precision pesticide application to that point
source of potential disease vectors.
Co
PI FDACS 2003-2005 Grant.
Optimization of aerial application methods for
the control of Culex nigripalpus - $74,488.00
Culex
nigripalpus has been identified as the primary
vector for West Nile virus. It is also one of
the more difficult species to control due to its
behaviour. Culex nigripalpus resides
within densely vegetated regions and only flies
under very specific metrological conditions. An
information gap exists in terms of identity of
the optimal spray regime and the optimal meteorological
conditions for that regime to be used most efficiently.
This project is run in collaboration with Mark
Latham and Manatee M.C.D. We are recording the
effect of meteorology on changes in the total
volume and droplet size distribution and resultant
biological effect at different application altitudes
both in the open and under dense vegetation.
PI
FDACS 2001-Present Grant. Nozzle classification
for production of mosquito control aerosols and
sprays using the Malvern Laser - $15,243.00
The
method officially required to measure drops on
most pesticide labels has been found to be highly
selective - not giving a true representation of
the drop size distribution
We
feel a better method is required. The EPA Spray
Drift Task Force have relevant protocols but have
only tested sprays used in agriculture. Mosquito
control configurations have not been included.
This information gap needs to be filled. A system
was created to characterize nozzles at different
wind speeds, angles and pressures for the production
of aerosols used in mosquito control. This system
is up and running by the Lee County MCD and is
being used to create a data base on the droplet
size spectrums of nozzle systems used in Florida
Mosquito control.
PI
FDACS 1999-Present Grant. Optimizing
the methodology for aerially applied mosquito
adulticides - $52,244.00
Previous
studies have shown that high pressure systems
produce significantly less waste (ground deposits)
compared to the conventional. The optimum operating
configurations for this system however, with its
altered aerosol/drop cloud characteristic is not
known. Our objective is to determine the optimum
boom location, swath placement and application
altitude for the high pressure system used by
the Beach MCD.
PI
FDACS 1999-Present Grant. Comparing the
effectiveness of labelled ground ULV mosquito
adulticides - $19,714.00
In
the application of pesticides it is necessary
to minimize the chemical applied for both economical
and environmental reasons. Prior research aimed
to identify the minimum required dose was conducted
in open field tests. Vegetated and urban sites
were ignored in these tests.
A
more comprehensive approach is required to determine
realistic minimum doses. Malathion and permethrin
were chosen as representatives of the two major
chemical classes and dose responses measured for
three very different habitats: open field, open
beach residential and vegetated beach residential.
This will highlight the differences in dose required
as habitat changes. The effect of chemical type
on mosquito control and the sensitivity of these
compounds to changes in habitat will be demonstrated. |
