The role of field dust in pesticide drift when pesticide-treated maize seeds are planted with vacuum-type planters

摘要

BACKGROUND: Neonicotinoid-contaminated dust escaping pneumatic seeders causes exposure to non-target organisms such as pollinators. Two sources of dust have been reported: abrasion by talc which is added as seed lubricant during planting, and seed-to-seed abrasion occurring during seed handling, distribution and planting. We report a third important source that warrants remediation. Here, soil dust stirred up by planters was found to enter the vacuum air intake near seed metering devices.