Aerial Agronomy Is 100 Years Old
Two local crop dusters work out of Pipestone Airport
By Jill Fennema –
The first aerial application of pesticide occurred in August 1921 – 100 years ago this month. C.R. Nellie, an entomologist with the Ohio Department of Agriculture came up with the idea of combating crop pests with an airplane.
Under the direction of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Lt. John A. Macready, a U.S. Army pilot, made the first application with a modified Curtiss JN-6 “Super Jenny.” Lead arsenate dust was spread on catalpa trees to kill the sphinx moth.
The venture was successful and the following year, Curtiss biplanes were used to dust cotton fields to control boll weevils.
In the early days, aerial applicators were known as “crop dusters” because they worked with dry chemicals. Today, aerial applicators deliver mostly liquid products to control insects, prevent disease, and provide nutrients.
The Pipestone Municipal Airport is one place that local crop duster fly out of. There are currently two crop dusting businesses operating there: Pro-Aire and R & R Spraying.
Rick Wenzel spraying a soybean field south of Pipestone. He is spraying a fungicide to get rid of white mold, Lorsban to get rid of insects, and sugar to sweeten the plant.
Tony Dykstra with two children Henzley and Briggan by his Piper Pawnee airplane.
