CROP PROTECTION

EQUIPMENT
• Crop protection – process of providing plants the conditions
that will make them free of weeds, pests and diseases.
 the growing stage between planting and flowering constitutes
the longest stay in the field and the most vulnerable period of
the crop.
 weeds compete with the available moisture and nutrients if left
uncontrolled.
 pests and diseases multiply above the economic threshold
levels if left uncontrolled.
 Methods of pest control:
1. Cultural control – modification of cultural practices such as time of planting and crop rotation.

2. Ecological control – change in the environment of the crop and the pest which favors the survival of
the crop such as flooding to kill insects and weeds.

3. Biological control – introduction of certain insects which feed on pests, application of chemosterilants
to render the male sterile, or planting of certain plants whose odor drive pests away.

4. Physiological control – breeding and planting of pest resistant varieties.

5. Chemical control – application of chemicals to control weeds, pests and diseases.

6. Flame control – use of flame for the selective burning of weeds in crops whose stem is not injured by
a short exposure to intense heat.

7. Mechanical control – use of tools, implements and machines to reduce or eliminate weeds and
insects such as in land preparation, cultivation and weeding.
MECHANICAL CONTROL

Yield losses due to uncontrolled weeds

Crop Percent Yield Losses
Average Range
Lowland rice 69 37 – 97
Upland rice 79 41 – 100
Corn 50 18 – 80
Soybean 69 55 – 100
Peanut 65 35 – 94
Manual labor use by operation for lowland
rice
Operation Man-days/ha
Seedling preparation 7.33
Irrigation 6.24
Land preparation (carabao) 27.98
Transplanting (hand transplanting) 15.52
Fertilizer application (broadcasting) 2.76
Weeding (push-type weeder) 75.0 – (38%)
Rodent control 1.84
Chemical application (spraying) 4.5
Harvesting 27.89
Threshing 11.40
Bagging and hauling 5.07
Drying 8.95
Milling 3.94

TOTAL: 198.42
 Classification of weeders by power source:
1. Manual weeders – hand-held or push-type weeders for upland or
lowland.
a) Hand-held weeders – utilize the blade and tine type of soil working parts with
short (< 0.5 m), medium (< 1 m) and long (> 1 m) handles.
b) Push-type weeders – utilize any of the three types of soil working parts for upland
(wheel hoe) and lowland (rotary weeder) weeding.
2. Animal-drawn weeders – soil working parts are mounted on a frame or
tool bar pulled by an animal for upland weeding.
3. Tractor-drawn weeders – soil working parts are mounted on a frame or
tool bar pulled by a two-wheel or four-wheel tractor for upland weeding.
4. Power weeders – rotary type weeder driven by its own engine for lowland
weeding.
Types of hand held weeders
Types of push-type weeders
Rotary weeder (lowland)
CHEMICAL CONTROL
• Most popular way of applying chemicals in the Philippines is with the
use of knapsack sprayers.

• Sprayers are used primarily for the application of herbicides,

insecticides, fungicides and plant nutrients.
Functions of a sprayer:
• Basic components:
1. Chemical supply : Tank
2. Energy source : Pump and pressure chamber
3. Atomizer : Nozzles
4. Control device : Cut-off valve
5. Conductors : Flexible hose and rigid lance
Basic parts of a knapsack sprayer
How a knapsack sprayer works
Nozzles

 Performance is dependent on hydraulic energy as follows:

1. The higher the pressure, the smaller the droplets

2. The higher the pressure, the higher the flow rate
3. The higher the pressure, the wider the spray angle

 Types of nozzles
1. Cone type – produces a cone shaped pattern of spray which could be hollow or solid cone.
•
 Best suited for spraying crops because it produces a spray in which droplets approach the
leaves from several angles.
 The pressure is high and then orifice is small.

2. Fan type – produces a flat pattern.

•
 Best suited for spraying flat surfaces as in the application of herbicides.
 The pressure is low and the orifice is large.