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Design and development of an anti-drift device for maize (Zea mays L.)-soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) intercropping systems
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Published: 6 May 2026
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Spray drift can severely reduce crop yields in maize (Zea mays L.)-soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) strip intercropping systems. A novel hood structure for a spray unit was developed to mitigate herbicide drift. By integrating the structural stability of trapezoidal profiles with the aerodynamic advantages of arcuate shapes, a hooded spray unit was designed. A three-factor, three-level orthogonal experiment was conducted to optimize key structural parameters.. Analysis of variance revealed that opening width (L=1200mm) and hood height (H=650mm) significantly influenced drift rate, while inclination angle (θ=80°) had a lesser effect. Simulation results showed that the optimized hood reduced droplet mass-center displacement by up to 21.89 cm and lowered drift rate by 27.4% compared to a without-hood sprayer. Comparative analyses of four hood designs further confirmed the superior performance of the proposed structure in promoting deposition and suppressing drift. Prototype experiments on an intercropping-specific boom sprayer show droplet deposition densities on non-target strips remained below 2.1 droplets cm⁻², demonstrating effective isolation. These findings indicate that the novel hood design meets agronomic requirements for maize-soybean intercropping and offers a practical solution for precision weed control with reduced environmental impact.
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How to Cite
“Design and development of an anti-drift device for maize (Zea mays L.)-soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) intercropping systems” (2026) Journal of Agricultural Engineering [Preprint]. doi:10.4081/jae.2026.1874.
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