Improving spray performance
By James Hoorman, Hoorman Soil Health Services
After a wet and late planted spring, crops and weeds are starting to grow. Spraying weeds is crucial for achieving high yields and minimizing weed competition. Many farmers use commercial applicators to spray their fields, but a lot of farmers do it themselves or have applicators for spot spraying. Several factors influence herbicide performance. Water quality, water pH, the temperature of the water, air, and soil, the type and volume of water, the size of weeds, and even the time of day can impact herbicide effectiveness.
In the Midwest, Purdue University is a leader in improving herbicide performance. For anyone spraying herbicides, the following publications are a must-read:
- PPP-86: The Impact of Water Quality on Pesticide Performance
- PPP-107: Adjuvants and the Power of Spray Droplets
- PPP-112: Water Temperature and Herbicide Performance.
- PPP-115: Compendium of Herbicide Adjuvants, which explains how to prevent water minerals from tying up herbicides.