Sprayers, Calibration, Nozzle Selection, Efficacy, & Drift Considerations for the No-Till Farmer

1. Sprayers, Calibration, Nozzle Selection, Efficacy, & Drift Considerationsfor theNo-Till Farmer Robert E. Wolf Extension Specialist Application Technology Biological and Agricultural Engineering

2. Changes in the Application Industry! Product Related!!! • Historically inefficient process • Increased cost of pesticides • Product rates are changing (< an ounce/acre) • More pest specific products • Biotechnology and GMO’s (Roundup Ready, Bt’s) • More sophisticated equipment(electronics) $$$ • Variable rates • Site-specific • Focus on Drift

3. Equipment today-$$$?

4. Sprayer Components: • Tanks (contamination issues) • Pump, Strainers, Agitation • Pressure gauge • Hoses, Flow control assemblies • Electronics: monitors-computers- controllers (GPS/GIS) • Distribution system • Nozzles!!!!!!!!!

5. What about the cost of the nozzle?

6. Regardless of the cost: • Without proper attention to the nozzle, you may end up with a • Misapplication

7. Nozzles are important because: • Control the amount – GPA. • Determine uniformity of application. • Affects the coverage. • Influences the drift potential.

8. 1. Control the Amount applied: Nozzle Flow Rate is affected by: • Orifice size • Pressure • Solution characteristics Page 9 - TeeJet Page 4 - Hypro

10. www.hypro.com Page 4

11. Nomenclature: Extended Range Trade Name (S,H,P,K,SS) Stainless Steel Insert Orifice VisiFlo Color Coding Fan angle and flow rate-orifice size Rated Pressure = 40 psi for most nozzle types 10 psi for turbo flood nozzles

12. Typical nozzle numbering system

13. Calibration/Nozzle Selection • What is the first step? • Use label to select the • application volume • product rate • Choose an appropriate travel speed • Effective width of application • nozzle spacing • Calculate GPM – Flow rate per nozzle • Select the correct size of nozzle!

14. Flow Rate Equation • Calculates for amount of flow from one nozzle • Represents the size of nozzle to put on the sprayer Equation # 2

15. Electronics/Rate Controllers • How does your system work when speed changes? • Is it pressure based? • What is the effect of going slower? • What is the effect of going faster?

17. 2. Set up for Uniformity Goal is to put the material on evenly from nozzle to nozzle, end of boom to end of boom, and across the entire field. 20-inch spacing requires 17-19” above target for 50-60% overlap.

18. Coverage: • Need knowledge of the product being used. • Systemic • Contact • What is the target? • Soil • Grass • Broadleaf (smooth, hairy, waxy) • Leaf orientation – time of day

19. Will affect drift: • Movement of spray particles off-target. • Creating smaller spray drops will result in increased drift. • Is it Coverage vs Drift? • What is the answer? $64,000 Question?

20. Spray Characteristics are Important to Understand: Demonstrates Turbo Flat vs TurboDrop-5 MPH Wind

21. Nozzle Technology? How to use?? • Nozzles designed to reduce drift • Improved drop size control • Emphasis on ‘Spray Quality’

22. Extended Range Flat-fan: • Tapered edge pattern • 80 and 110 degree fan • Requires overlap - 50 to 60% • 15-60 psi range 80° 110°

23. Turbo Flood Nozzle vs Old Style Flood • Pre-orifice design • Turbulence chamber • Uniform spray distribution with tapered edge – 50-60% overlap • Large, drift resistant droplets Flood TF

24. Turbo Flat-fan • Turbulence chamber as in the Turbo Flood • Tapered edge, wide angle flat pattern • Designed to work in flat-fan nozzle holder • Uniform spray distribution, 50-60% overlap • Wide pressure range, 15 – 90 psi • Large, drift resistant droplets • Plastic with superior wear characteristics TT XR

25. XR Flat-fan compared to Turbo Flat-fan in 5 MPH wind: 40 psi

26. Air-Induction/Venturi Nozzles • Where air is drawn into the nozzle cavity and exits with the fluid.

27. Air/Induction – Venturi Nozzle: • Greenleaf – TurboDrop • Air intake venturi section • Mixing Chamber - air and spray solution blended • Pattern tip forms large air-bubble drops • Exit tip flow 2X venturi orifice • Better Penetration? • Reduced run-off? • Improved coverage? • Adequate efficacy? • Reduced drift?

28. XR Flat-fan and Turbo Flat-fan compared to Venturi Style Nozzle5.0 MPH wind at 40 psi XR vs TurboDrop Turbo Flat vs Turbo Drop

29. Driftable Droplets: Spraying Systems-2000

30. XR Flat-fan @20, 40, 80 PSI Turbodrop XL @20, 40, 80 PSI Boom Drift

31. New Label language-EPA Reviewing Public Comments Public ‘Listening Sessions’ planned Sometime in 2003?? Match the crop protection product to the target Adhere to label guidelines based on an industry standard ASAE S-572 Buffer Zones or No Spray Zones Maximize Efficacy Minimize Drift Example Reference Graph 900 800 very fine/ fine fine/medium medium/ coarse coarse/ very coarse 700 very coarse/ extremely coarse 600 XC 500 C VC 400 M 300 F 200 Drop Size (microns) VF 100 0 0.1 0.5 0.9 Cumulative Volume Fraction EPA Requested Changes Coming!!!! VMD

32. ASAE DSC and Volume Median Diameter (DV0.5) From PMS* Laser Spectrometer Droplet Spectra Classification (DSC) Droplet Size Range • Very Fine (VF) < 182µm • Fine (F) 183-280µm • Medium (M) 281-429µm • Coarse (C) 430-531µm • Very Coarse (VC) 532-655µm • Extremely Coarse (XC) >656µm *USDA ARS College Station, TX

34. Important Droplet Statistics: VMD (50%) Operational Area VD0.9 (90%) VD0.1 (10%)

35. Application Decisions?

36. For more information contact: rewolf@ksu.edu www.bae.ksu.edu/rewolf/