Reproduced from an article written by Angela Lovell for Grainews, 2014 “The fundamental challenge of spraying is that it’s a compromise game,” said Tom Wolf of Agrimetrix Research and Training. “As operators and advisors we need to always balance the opposite needs of coverage, efficacy and drift.” Wolf, in a presentation at the recent Manitoba […]
Tag: pressure
How Fast Should I Drive My Sprayer?
It seems simple: The faster you drive the sprayer, the more area you cover. This makes higher travel speeds a seductive method for improving productivity. Sprayer manufacturers knew this 25 years ago when pull-type sprayers first received bigger, suspended outrigger wheels. Since then they’ve delivered more powerful engines, better hydraulic motors, smoother suspension and cruise […]
Rate Controllers and Spray Pressure
Automatic rate controllers are standard equipment on almost all new sprayers. They ensure consistent application volumes, but they don’t do all the thinking for you. We explore how to make them work properly. A rate controller needs to know the boom width (entered by the user), the total spray liquid flow rate (from a flow […]
Selecting the Right Water Volume
Low water volumes can mean less effort to apply pesticides. But there is a limit to how low water volumes can go before problems appear. To understand the reasons why, and help applicators use the right volume for a given situation, we briefly outline what happens to a spray cloud as it reaches the crop canopy. Basic Principles […]
Four Rules of Nozzle Selection
Nozzle choice can be overwhelming due to the large selection available from many suppliers. But nozzles are the most important part of the sprayer, being responsible for metering the liquid, atomizing it into droplets, and distributing it across the boom. Review this list for what’s available, then follow these general recommendations. 1. Choose a Coarse […]