Practical Deviation in Sustainable Pesticide Application Process

Using agrochemicals becomes essential practice of modern farming but in the same time it puts risk to human, animal health and the environment. The initial actions to create balance between this negative impact and the necessity to use the pesticides concerning the environment, people's living conditions and the economic, those factors are defined as the sustainable development. In this paper the algorithm to gain the sustainability of pesticide application was set to highlight some places (during some logistic steps of pesticide application) where the sprayer operator has to make subjective decisions about the correct procedure; these decisions are subjected to the “practical deviations”. The paper presents also some results of investigation on using nozzles with different physical wear. The results of laboratory test showed that damaged nozzles produced flow rate higher than the allowed limits of nozzles inspection regulations. Also, the decision to use damaged nozzles with lower pressure to compensate the increase of flow rate, results in bigger drop sizes comparing with the new nozzles, which may affect in turn the biological efficacy and put risk of pesticide non target contamination. The decision, which is made by sprayer operator, is an example of “practical deviations” during pesticide application process.