Sprayer loading and the jar test

Adding pouches to the basket. Photo Credit – M. Lanthier, British Columbia.

This article was co-written with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA Weed Management Specialist – Field Crops The time and attention spent during sprayer loading is a worthy investment. It ensures that the products in the tank perform as intended and reduces the chance of physical incompatibilities. The label Pesticide labels are always the first point of reference. […]

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Airblast Agitation and Filling

Note the two paddles set at 90° to one another on the mechanical agitation shaft in this very cool “cutaway” Turbomist sprayer.

Agricultural products are formulated to be as emulsifiable as possible, but many do not mix well in water. They contain elements that do not dissolve (e.g. wettable powders), or they may be petroleum distillates (e.g. emulsifiable concentrates). Other products are heavier than water and form precipitates (e.g. fertilizers and powdered metals like copper). Consequently, good […]

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Do Labels Help us Apply Pesticides Properly?

It happened three times this spring.  As is often the case, I was contacted by growers who wanted help with herbicide application.  In most of these calls, the discussion revolves around the proper choice of nozzles for a specific task, perhaps some questions on spray pressure, water volume and travel speed. But these three were […]

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Adjuvants in the airblast tank

Spray adjuvants are tank mix additives that either physically or chemically influence the efficacy, consistency or safety of pesticides. For example, adjuvants can improve the handling characteristics of a spray solution (e.g. water conditioners, de-foamers, emulsifiers). They can improve uptake into a target plant and/or improve the amount of contact between spray droplet and target […]

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The Agitation over Agitation

Sprayers101 recently received a couple of seemingly unrelated questions about airblast sprayers: What are the advantages and disadvantages of mechanical versus hydraulic agitation? Why would someone want a stainless tank versus the cheaper poly or fiberglass options? Recognizing that each manufacturer has their own reasons for the features and materials used in their sprayers, we […]

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