An Atomizer for Application of Very Low Volumes of Herbicide Solutions

The precise delivery of small quantities of herbicide solutions to leaf surfaces is difficult to achieve, yet most absorption research has this requirement. An atomizer for delivering microliter quantities of herbicide solutions has been designed, constructed, and tested. The function of the atomizer is to quantitatively apply low-volume (1-to 10-μl) solutions of herbicides, especially radioactive herbicides, to plant surfaces. The appearance of droplets from the atomizer and a flat-fan nozzle were similar and both yielded deposits that were much smaller than a 1-μl droplet applied by syringe. There was no splatter loss of herbicide when applied with the atomizer, and the bio-activity of the herbicide was equal to that applied as a single droplet. The atomizer yielded drops similar to those from a flat-fan nozzle and should produce absorption results more representative of those found under field conditions.