An experiment was carried out at the NuPAM-FCA/UNESP, Botucatu Campus, São Paulo, Brazil, to estimate the deposition and distribution of a marker solution on the P. vulgaris and B. decumbens plants, using a sprayer simulator under a controlled environment. The treatments were: nozzle fan jet XR Teejet (XR110.02VS) + surfactant (Aterbane BR - 0.5% v/v); nozzle Conejet (TXVK-4) + surfactant (Aterbane BR - 0.5% v/v); nozzle fan jet XR Teejet (XR110.02VS) and nozzle Conejet (TXVK-4). A solution of NaCl (0.5%) + Orange Poliglow colour (0.5%) + mancozeb (0.5%) was applied in all treatments. The experimental units consisted of pots with two B. decumbens target plants underneath one P. vulgaris target plant. Droplet distribution over B. decumbens leaves was evaluated with black light, and deposition by electric conductivity of the sprayer solution collected by washing the targets in deionized water. The spraying nozzles, XR Teejet and Conejet, did not show deposition difference on P. vulgaris leaves, under equal spray solution conditions. However, the nozzle with fan jet XR Teejet (XR110.02VS) and the nozzle Conejet (TXVK-4) provided, respectively, 67.1% and 61.5% increase on the leaf area deposition and 106,4% and 66.9% increase dry weight increase, when compared to the nozzle with fan jet XR Teejet (XR110.02VS) + surfactant (Aterbane BR - 0.5% v/v) and the nozzle Conejet (TXVK-4) + surfactant (Aterbane BR - 0.5% v/v). Nozzle Conejet provided higher uniform distribution, when compared to nozzle XR Teejet.
target; sprayer nozzle; surfactant; electric conductivity
