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7The air stream generated by the fan of pneumatic seeders -necessary to create a depression in the 8 sowing element of the machine and to guarantee correct seed deposition -can blow away solid 9 particles that have been detached from the seeds. In this study, experimental tests were carried out 10 to evaluate the performance of technical solutions by seeder producers to limit dust drift. A specific 11 test methodology has been developed to assess sowing machine performance. 12The tested technologies that convey the air to the soil, independent of their design, resulted in seed 13 particle drift to be reduced by more than 60% compared to a conventional machine with the fan 14 outlet oriented upwards. Particle drift was reduced by more than 70% if only an area between 5 and 15 20 m downwind the machine border was considered. This study has shown that the use of an 16 appropriate design can reduce the dispersion of toxic substances in the atmosphere during seeding 17 and that the methodology developed to carry out the trials could be used for seeder dust dispersion 18 classification. 19 20

8The present study analysed the constructive and operative parameters of pneumatic 9 seeders and researched and assessed possible technical solutions for limiting the 10 unwanted dispersion of dust from seed dressing during sowing of maize seeds. Tests 11 were made on several maize pneumatic seeder models. The air flow rates and the air 12 velocities at the fan outlet were assessed, the sizes of the areas contaminated with the 13 material from the maize seeds was evaluated and the air velocities along the contour of 14 the sowing machines were measured. Results showed that by decreasing the fan air flow 15 rate by 30% it was possible to consistently reduce the size of the area contaminated by 16 seed dressing dust while maintaining a good quality of seeding. They also showed that 17 the technical solutions proposed by the seeder manufacturers reduced the environmental 18 contamination with the pesticide-containing dust by more than 90%. 19 20

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