The experts at UF/IFAS shared tips for reducing spray drift in Florida citrus groves and its undesirable effects.
Spray drift, or when a sprayed pesticide, herbicide, or fungicide reaches areas beyond the targeted crop, has a number of undesirable effects. It can cause damage to non-target crops and wildlife areas, kill beneficial insects like pollinators, waste product, pose a danger to humans and animals, and more. Reducing spray drift should always be part of your best practices. See recommendations from the experts at UF/IFAS in a Citrus Industry article, below.
Tips for Reducing Spray Drift
The article shared these tips for reducing spray drift in your Florida citrus grove:
- “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.”
Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.