Compulsory, Standardized Sprayer Inspections

Sprayer Calibration in Belgium

Spring always brings renewed interest in sprayer calibration. This is good, because a well-maintained and calibrated sprayer will protect crops more effectively and efficiently, as well as reduce the potential for off-target drift and point source contamination. Presently, there is no nationally-recognized standard for sprayer calibration in either Canada or the United States. As a result […]

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Optimizing Sprayer Air Settings – Part 2

This is part two of a two part article on how to optimize the match between the sprayer air and the target canopy. You can find the first part here. For a more fulsome description of the process, consult chapters 3, 9, 10, and 11 of Airblast101. Evaluating air energy – Ribbon test part 2 […]

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Optimizing Sprayer Air Settings – Part 1

This is part one of a two part article on how to optimize the match between the sprayer air and the target canopy. For a more fulsome description of the process, consult chapters 3, 9, 10, and 11 of Airblast101. Why is air so important? Air handling is the most important and least understood mechanical […]

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Putting a Number on Pesticide Waste

Waste (noun): an act or instance of using or expending something to no purpose. In agriculture, environment and economy are intertwined. Producers strive to obtain the maximum return on their inputs. They study incremental returns and avoid applying more inputs than necessary, especially if conditions don’t warrant it.  The financial incentive is powerful, and waste […]

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Homegrown Sprayer Rebuild – Fixed Tower

It was Saturday morning in April, 2016 when I received an email from Steven Bierlink, an orchardist in Washington State. He was curious about the impact of air induction nozzles on lime-sulphur applications (intended to thin apple blossoms). Work-life balance notwithstanding, I happily grabbed a hot cup of coffee and we got on the phone. It […]

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