Aerial electrostatic spray deposition and canopy penetration in cotton

Daylight visible fluorescent dye (10% v/v) mixed with water was aerially applied on mature field cotton with electrostatic and rotary atomizer nozzles. The spray rates for the electrostatic and rotary atomizer nozzles were 9.4 and 28 L/ha, respectively. Images of spray droplets on cotton leaves were digitally analyzed with ImageJ software. Charged spray cloud increased deposition nearly two to three times on adaxial and abaxial surfaces, respectively, of top canopy leaves compared to uncharged spray. Canopy penetration of the spray into the lower layers of the plant foliage was unaffected by spray application method.