Calibrating a boom sprayer is not as difficult as it sounds. There are several ways to calibrate a sprayer. Regardless of which method you choose, it usually doesn’t take more than 30 minutes, and only three things are needed: a timer (or watch or smart phones) showing seconds, a measuring tape, and a jar graduated […]
Note: While there’s nothing wrong with this article, a more recent article on this subject can be found here. It’s nearing the end of a long morning of spraying and you just want to get it done.As the tank empties and you watch the last of the spray cloud waft through the row, you’re thinking […]
Spray application is one of the most important activities regularly done in any crop operation. It can also be one of the most expensive and time-consuming. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a multi-step process that helps sprayer operators make informed choices about when and what to spray. But, the decision to spray is not the end […]
Most pesticides are either pre-formulated with the required adjuvants, or the label specifies their addition. However, compelling claims by manufacturers create interest in tank mixing additional adjuvants to improve some aspect of pesticide performance. In a previous article we advised caution when using adjuvants in airblast sprayers (see here). Specifically, we stated that unless an adjuvant has been tested with airblast equipment, […]
Read More… from Evaluating an Anti-Drift Adjuvant in an Airblast Sprayer
Sprayer operators recognize the importance of matching their sprayer settings to the crop to optimize efficacy. For example, spraying a protective fungicide in field tomato should require a different approach from spraying a locally systemic insecticide in staked peppers. Knowing this, many operators make ad hoc changes and then wait to “see if it worked”. […]
Read More… from How to Assess Spray Coverage in Vegetable Crops