Avoiding spray drift from air-blast sprayers in vine and tree crops

Summary

An effective spray application will deliver the right amount of product to the desired target. However, if any part of the spray equipment is not set up or calibrated appropriately, the target could be missed, or spray might drift to non-target areas. This Primefact will briefly describe the main points you should consider before going out to spray your tree and vine crops. Topics covered in this Primefact include:

• Type of sprayers used
• Nozzle selection
• Direct the sprayer output towards the target canopy
• Managing travel speed
• Using deflectors
• Fan speed
• Natural and artificial barriers for spray drift mitigation
• Weather conditions affecting spraying
• Methods to assess coverage