Evaporation time of droplets containing thiamethoxam and adjuvants on hydrophilic, hydrophobic and lipophilic surfaces under different air relative humidities

Abstract

The efficacy of pesticide applications is related to the spread and evaporation time of the droplets deposited on the target. This study evaluates the evaporation of spray droplets containing thiamethoxam and adjuvants on different surfaces and at different levels of relative air humidity. A climate controlled chamber was set up with a digital microscope to produce images of droplet evaporation. Three surfaces (hydrophilic, lipophilic and hydrophobic), five solutions (water, thiamethoxam, thiamethoxam + mineral oil, thiamethoxam + vegetable oil, thiamethoxam + surfactant) and three air humidity levels (45%, 60% and 75%) were evaluated. The surface tension of these solutions was also measured. It was found that all of the insecticide solutions reduced surface tension, that air humidity, target surface and spray formulation influenced spray evaporation and that surfactants reduced the evaporation time of droplets on natural lipophilic surfaces.