Evaluation of the Francome MkII exhaust nozzle sprayer to apply oil‐based formulations of Metarhizium flavoviride for locust control

Conidia of the fungus Metarhizium flavoviride were formulated in a paraffinic oil, ‘Shellsol’ T, and sprayed using the Francome MkII exhaust nozzle sprayer. Germination of the conidia collected from the spray was reduced by 30% as compared to unsprayed conidia. However, in bioassays, there was no detectable difference in virulence with conidia collected from the spray samples and unsprayed formulation. This indicated that, despite the recorded reduction in the concentration of active conidia, the efficacy of the formulation remained unchanged after passing through the exhaust nozzle sprayer. The droplet size spectra produced by the sprayer were investigated using the Malvern series 2600cc particle size analyser. The optimum droplets for locust control produced by this sprayer were generated by the number 1 nozzle (internal diameter 2·5 mm) with the number 1 restrictor ring (internal diameter 12.5 mm) sprayed at a pressure of 0·2 bar. The droplets thus produced had a volume median diameter of 58 μm when the nozzle protruded between 1 and 2 mm above the level of the restrictor ring. Of the droplets in the spray plume created by these conditions, 33% were between 50 and 100 μm, a range recommended as an achievable optimum for the ultra-low-volume application of Metarhizium flavoviride. The role of the exhaust nozzle sprayer as a tool for the application of M. flavoviride for locust control is discussed with reference to other vehicle-mounted ultra-low-volume sprayers. © 1997 SCI