One national list of approved low-drift nozzles for Italy could not be identified. However, some documents on how to reduce drift were found and uploaded for reference (in italian).
ASSESSMENT OF THE AMOUNT OF SPRAY DRIFT IN VINEYARD AND IN ORCHARD IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA USING CONVENTIONAL AND SPRAY DRIFT REDUCING TECHNIQUES
Preventing pesticide spray drift is very important also to comply with the EU Directive on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides, especially with respect to arboreal crops, where the amount of spray drift is generally higher. So far, however, few experimental data on field spray drift measurements are available in Italy and references used to indicate the width of buffer zones are taken from abroad. The aim of this work was to acquire a set of experimental data about the amount of spray drift measured in vineyard and in orchard following the ISO 22866 test methodology. Tests were made in Emilia-Romagna using air-assisted sprayer models representative of the most widespread types in Italy. Results pointed out that the amount of spray drift was higher in vineyard than in orchard. The adoption of spray drift reducing techniques (e.g. air induction nozzles) combined with a proper adjustment of the spray profile according to the size of the target made it possible to considerably reduce the phenomenon.
Keywords: air-assisted sprayer, air induction nozzle, spray profile. |
The size of the buffer zone depends of the status of the water body
The use of drift-reducing nozzles is part of the National Action Plan on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides.
Buffer zones: examples
Source: Confagricultura Rovigo, 2015
- Use at a distance not less than 40 m for fruits, 10 m for horticultural crops, 5 m for tobacco, cotton, floral and ornamentals;
- Do not treat buffer zones within 20 m from water bodies, or use anti-drift nozzles and pressure of less than 8bars;
- Vegetated buffer zones not to be treated within 20 m from water bodies. The width of the zone can be reduced to 15m if drift-reducing nozzles are used with air injection at pressure < 8bars.
- 5 meters if not classified
- 5 meters if classified as bad oder poor
- 3 meters if classified as good or sufficient
- 0 meters if classified as excellent
The use of drift-reducing nozzles is part of the National Action Plan on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides.
Buffer zones: examples
Source: Confagricultura Rovigo, 2015
- Use at a distance not less than 40 m for fruits, 10 m for horticultural crops, 5 m for tobacco, cotton, floral and ornamentals;
- Do not treat buffer zones within 20 m from water bodies, or use anti-drift nozzles and pressure of less than 8bars;
- Vegetated buffer zones not to be treated within 20 m from water bodies. The width of the zone can be reduced to 15m if drift-reducing nozzles are used with air injection at pressure < 8bars.
Drift reducing devices
There is no uniform list for Italy, but for some regions, documents referring to drift-reducing nozzles could be found.
Region of Veneto |
Links & DocumentsGIORNATE FORMATIVE DIMOSTRATIVE SULLA RIDUZIONE DEL RISCHIO DI DERIVA E RUSCELLAMENTO DA AGROFARMACI from November 2013
This is a pdf document for training describing drift reduction possibilities |