Improving Spray Performance
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After a wet and late planted spring, crops and weeds are starting to grow. Spraying weeds is important for getting good yields and reducing 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. There are factors that affect herbicide performance. Water quality; water pH; the temperature of the water, air, and soil; type and volume of water; size of weeds; and even time of day can impact herbicide effectiveness. In the Midwest, Purdue University is a leader on 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. Here are some tip: Check your wat...