How To Reduce Spray Drift

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) provided the following tips for reducing spray drift in citrus groves:

• Avoid high spray pressure, which creates finer droplets. Use as coarse a spray as possible to still obtain good coverage and control.
• Don’t apply pesticides under windy or gusty conditions (over 10 mph winds). Read the label for specific instructions.
• Maintain adequate buffer zones to ensure that spray drift does not occur off the target area.
• Be careful with all pesticides. Insecticides and fungicides usually require smaller droplet sizes than herbicides for good coverage and control. However, herbicides have a greater potential for nontarget crop damage.
• Choose an application method and a formulation that is less likely to cause drift.
• Use drift reduction nozzles.
• Use wide-angle nozzles and lower spray boom heights. Keep the spray boom stable.
• Use drift control/drift reduction agents. These materials are designed to minimize the formation of droplets smaller than 150 microns. They help produce a more consistent spray pattern and aid in deposition. Drift control additives do not eliminate drift. Therefore, common sense is still required.
• Apply pesticides early in the morning or late in the evening, The air is often more still at these times than during the rest of the day.
• Don’t spray during thermal inversions, when air closest to the ground is warmer than the air above it. When possible, avoid spraying at temperatures above 90° F.
• Know your surroundings. You must determine the location of sensitive areas near the application site. Some crops are particularly sensitive to herbicides, which move off-site.
• Be sure you are getting the right spray deposition pattern. Service and calibrate your equipment regularly.
• Whenever possible, cut off the spray for missing trees in the row. Spray that does not enter the tree canopy is wasted and contributes significantly to drift problems.
• Keep good records and evaluate pesticide spray results. Remember to always read and follow label directions.

Source: UF/IFAS