CTS for airblast sprayers – A learning process

As Canadian farmers begin to adopt closed transfer systems (CTS), growing pains are to be expected. Instructions for installation and use are primarily European and field-sprayer centric. We’ve seen precious little in the way of practical advice for incorporating CTS into airblast operations. This is a “live” article which we’ll update periodically. We encourage readers […]

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Where does fungicide spraying fit into Integrated Pest Management? An apple scab case study

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the Winter, 2025 ONCore newsletter (Volume 29, Issue 1). We thought it was an excellent description of the integrated pest management process and where fungicide spraying fits in. It’s been modified from the original version. Part One: Know Your Enemy There is no denying that product efficacy and […]

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Alternate Row Spraying

Alternate Row (aka Alternate Row Middle [ARM]) spraying is an application method where the air-assist sprayer does not pass down every alley during an application. The sprayer operator is relying on the spray to pass through one or more rows and provide acceptable coverage to the entire canopy (or canopies) on a single pass. Some […]

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Airblast Spraying in Poor Conditions

Some springs are tougher than others. This article was originally written in 2019, which was particularly challenging. The frequency and duration of rain events left limited opportunity for orchard sprays. Even then, the periods between rains were transitions between warm and moist conditions and cold fronts, which makes wind gusty and changeable. These same periods […]

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Optimizing a Greenhouse Vegetable Sprayer

Introduction In April 2025 we visited Cedarline Greenhouses to assess their spraying methods. Our hosts invited us to examine their practices and then graciously agreed to let us share the process (and the results) so others could learn from the experience. Every greenhouse is different, but with a little imagination the process we used should […]

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