AgTec 400PC Sprayer

AgTec 5004 Sprayer

AgTec 400LPS Sprayer

INTRODUCTION

The information in this booklet is based on many years of experience in low volume spraying. Since 1970 the low volume principle has become a matter of great importance with widespread acceptance of the AgTec low volume sprayer by fruit and vegetable growers, and agriculturalists. This AgTec low volume spraying system has brought speed, efficiency, and economy to modern agriculture.

SUMMARY OF SUGGESTED SPEEDS AND ADVANTAGES

AS COMPARED TO DILUTE SPRAYERS

SPEEDS:

2-1/2 mph to 3-1/2 mph in fruit trees.

2-1/2 mph in grapes, berries and row crops.

SAVINGS:

Up to 60% on Material Low Maintenance Costs

Up to 90% on Water Reduced Spraying Time

50% and more on Fuel Savings on Time and Expense

Low Initial Cost of Hauling Water

Low Labor Cost

COVERAGE:

Uniformly fine droplets, median diam. 40-100 micron range. Most even distribution, no runoff, minimal residue on covercrop. Minimal to nil residue at harvest. No undesirable concentration that causes spray damage. Excellent spray coverage on upper and lower leaf surfaces, twigs, limbs and fruit.

CONSTRUCTION:

Lightweight No nozzles, therefore no clogging,

No damage to soil structure. even at highest concentration.

Soil compaction minor. Lowest gallons per acre output.

Central control from drivers seat. Excellent tank agitation.

LEGEND:

LV = Low Volume 1 Kilogram = 2.205 pounds

mu = Micron or 1/25000 inches 1 hectare = 2.47 acres

1mm = 0.039 inches 1 inch = 2.54 centimeters

1 meter = 39.37 inches 1 foot = 30.48 centimeters

1 liter = 1.05 quarts (U.S.) 1 U.S. gal. = 3.78 liters

1 lmp. gal. = 4.536 liters

LOW VOLUME SPRAYING AND
THE ENVIRONMENT

Hindsight has many advantages over foresight. Few deny this statement, particularly those in agriculture, a basic world industry that down through recorded history has had more uncontrollable unknowns to contend with than any other industry. Weather and its influences on agriculture have affected such basic human activities as migration, and population increase and decrease while the spectre of massive food shortages for the majority of the world's population has always been of nightmarish importance.

Since the dawn of the chemical age man has made important and significant progress in protecting and increasing his basic food supplies. A major part of this program has been the chemical weaponry used to combat diseases and insects and the use of other chemical systems to grow types of food where it had never been grown before, and to increase yield rates in historical low yield crops and growth areas. Basically, then, the use of chemicals has been a humane and necessary factor in human existence as we have known it for the past 150 years.

There is no need to prove that pest control is an important production factor in our modern food industry and that the costs involved in this control make up a large proportion of total production costs. In view of the high standard of quality which has to be maintained, especially for export, the expenditure on pest control is most essential if the farmer wishes to harvest a profitable crop. It is not only the high standard of harvest quality demanded, but also the fact that pests and diseases, steadily increasing over the years, are developing resistance to chemicals that makes the production of a "quality" crop all the more difficult.

There have been many factors that contributed to the continuous search fro ways and means to make plant protection as economical as possible. One key factor was the need for better chemical application systems. Intensive studies in this area produced the low volume automatic sprayer, a successor to the high volume sprayer and the spray gun.

LOW VOLUME HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT

"Low Volume" spraying "arrived" some 40 to 50 years ago in various segments of North America's food production industry, lagging only a few years behind major agricultural areas using it in Europe. It proved to be a far superior system for insect and disease control than high volume, dilute, or gun-spray systems and demolished many of the concepts held by major segments of machine manufacturers who incorporated little or no biological acumen in design and operation of their spray machines. As long as insects were killed off in varying percentages, other effects on the environment and the upsetting of major biological balances were never considered. This initiated the need for continuous and preventive types of spray programs and eventually culminated in Rachel Carson's writing of Silent Spring, a clear warning to mankind to "take another look" at what they were doing with their machines and chemicals.

"Low Volume" spraying incorporates greater scientific accuracy in its usage than any previous types of spray systems. Contrary to the opinions of some manufacturers, old-fashioned, inefficient and costly dilute machines (200-600 Gal./Acre) cannot be realistically used as long volume (10-20 Gal/Acre) concentrate machines. Mechanically, the main reason is because air velocities are inadequate in the usual dilute machines. 80-120 mph (Maximum) is not even threshold air velocity needed for good low volume concentrate machines, while pump pressures of 200-500 psi are redundant in low volume high air velocity machines which need only 10-25 psi pump pressures for efficient operation.

The hodgepodge of confusion in discussing formulations and quantities of chemicals used per acre in ratings of "x" has been one of the most confusing issues facing anyone new to spraying in agriculture. This is because no two people ever agreed on "x". Low volume users from the start talked in terms of acre rates for the control chemical. This mean gallons of water used/care was a user's perogative, and as long as the suggested amounts of control chemicals/acre were present in the water used on an acre, then disease and insect problems could be controlled.

LOW VOLUME SPRAYING

While many areas of chemical usage are worthy of general discussion in their role as control system commensurate with environmental stability, low volume spraying has become an important economic and environmental reality.

Before discussing LV sprayers, however, it would be a good idea to have a close look at the pro's and con's of the conventional spraying method in order to appreciate more fully why the low volume principle was developed.

CONVENTIONAL HIGH VOLUME SPRAYER

(DRIP-WET METHOD)

With this method, a large quantity of water with the pest control in solution, is sprayed onto trees under a fairly high pressure. At least 30% to 70% of the chemical is lost, as this quantity drips onto the ground--most certainly not the target area originally intended. Water, the transport medium in this system, is replaced by air in the LV system. From the viewpoint of actual pest control, this high pressure high volume system was always regarded as quite satisfactory as the user had the visual assurance that all parts of the tree were properly wet as a result of the large quantity of water used per tree, and because of the dripping of the solution, suspension, or emulsion.

Occasionally, instances of spray damage occurred due to the fact that not all dripping chemical landed on the ground, but sometimes collected in hollows in the tee or at "dripping pints", i.e., lowest points of leaves and fruit. After evaporation, an undesirable concentration of chemical caused damage in these "drip point" areas.

These facts were not the main incentive in low volume sprayer development. But along with the seven major reasons herein listed, they helped give impetus to development of the low volume, low pressure, high air velocity sprayer whose desirable features are incorporated in the AgTec systems.

1. The heavy expenditure on pest control chemicals.

2. The use of large quantities of water. Water itself is not costly, but where the water supply is distant or inadequate, transport costs of the water weights heavily on the total production costs.

3. Slow tempo of work. This is a particular disadvantage when quick action is necessary to combat a particular pest or disease. Weather conditions obviously plan an important role as it is desirous to spray the maximum number of trees in the shortest time when ideal conditions prevail.

4. Conventional sprayers are generally heavy machines. Because of the water load, a large traction power source is necessary. Damage to soil structure and covercrop is common when using heavy conventional sprayers.

5. The modern conventional sprayer purchase price is higher than LV systems.

6. High maintenance costs on high pressure pumps, hoses, nozzles and seals.

7. Safety measures against buildups of poisonous chemicals in the soils are almost impossible with conventional spraying. In these days of cost-squeeze problems in agro-businesses and the vociferous outbursts to maintain environmental purity, any of the previous reasons for intensive research in improving spray systems now seems justified.

THE LOW VOLUME PRINCIPLE

Because the "drip-wet" method had to be modified, water as the transport medium was replaced with air. Water fulfills the function of a solvent in the low volume system with the result that the proportion of water-chemical is completely different than the proportion in high pressure "drip-wet" method systems. The chemical portion in LV systems is much higher per gallon of spray.

DROPLET SIZE

The essential difference between the two methods of pest control under discussion is found in the sizes of droplets in which the control medium is dissolved. The droplet formed by a low volume sprayer is the key to its success and leads to the following savings:

(a) Pest control savings of up to 70%

(b) Water savings of up to 90% or even more.

Because of these savings it is important to look more closely at the difference between sizes of droplets formed by he low volume sprayer and by the traditional conventional sprayer. The droplet from a conventional sprayer has an average size of 3mm. = 300 micron (1 mu. = 001 mm.). The droplet from a low volume sprayer has an average size of 50-90 mu. Drawing #1 indicates the two droplet sizes in the form of cubes using 50 micron droplets from the low volume sprayer and 300 micron droplets from the conventional high volume sprayer.

Drawing #1

AIR AS TRANSPORT MEDIUM

In developing the LV sprayer, the objectives were to attain an even sized droplet formulation in the airstream in order to create a genuine LV spray in which no large size droplets are present, to maintain accurate control of the liquid injection, and to ensure the correct volume of air at a critical air speed issued from the blowers.

Should large droplets be present in the LV airstream, the chance of spray damage is present or the same reasons mentioned under the paragraph "Conventional Sprayer".

A definite relationship exists between the size of the droplet and the airspeed. The airspeed of an LV sprayer cannot be raised indefinitely, as danger of "storm" damage exits which would result in damage to fruit, leaves, branches, etc. The droplet of a predetermined size will leave an airstream at the critical speed as soon as the airstream makes contact with a tree, in the same manner that an automobile would leave its path on a curve if it should meet with an obstruction. At the instant the droplet-filled airstream leaves the jet nozzle, it breaks through the static air surrounding the jet head. Because of its relatively high speed which causes friction in the air in the tree canopy, it carries a portion of air along. This, plus the fact that the droplets fly out of their path, creates a turbulence in the tree so that breaches, leaves and fruit are thoroughly covered on all sides with the control spray. The turbulence is particularly evident when LV spraying is examined by ultraviolet light with fluorescent spray at night.

In drawing #4, an oversize droplet in the airstream would strike the apple on the front or bypass it altogether, miss its object, and not participate in the turbulence, as is show for the 50 mu. droplets.

Drawing #4

Large 300 mu. Droplets

Turbulence

50 mu. Droplets

MINIMAL AIR SPEED CRITICAL

An air speed below critical speed (175 mph) is undesirable as insufficient tree or crop penetration is achieved. The critical airspeed has been determined by test experiences over the years.

As previously mentioned, one sometimes encounters spraying damage with the "drip-wet" method because of the flowing together and concentration of chemicals at certain points on the tree. With low volume spraying, this is practically impossible as the whole tree is covered from all sides with microscopic size droplets.

In recent tests with copper fungicide sprays, drip points of leaves showed spraying damage as a result of conventional spraying. But the LV method revealed that after evaporation more copper per square inch was present than deposited by the conventionally system, while no spray damage was evident. These tests showed clearly that more effective spray deposit was attained with the low volume sprayer. This had also been proven with other fungicides and insecticides in many residue analysis tests.

DROPLET SIZES AND CATEGORIES

Sizes and categories of droplets have been discussed for many years. As far back as the late forties and early fifties droplets were described as vapors, fumes, fogs, mists, light rain and rain. Micron sizes were assigned to these broad categories. The first would be 10-20 Micron or less, the mists would be from 12-100 Micron, light rain would be 10-150 Micron, and rain from 150-1,000 Micron. No universal agreement has been reached on these categories and their classification is still somewhat arbitrary and academic.

ADVANTAGES OF LV SPRAYING

Advantages of low volume concentrate spraying are many and spectacular. Low volume machines are consistently less expensive than high volume or "speed sprayer" machines. Lack of runoff or drip means soil and aquatic pollution is lessened by 50-90%. In this era of environmental improvement efforts by every country in the world, such a characteristic is important. Atmospheric contamination is much less with low volume concentrate machines because generally less chemicals/acre for disease and insect control are required than in conventional or dilute machines. The larger number of "fines" or small droplets produced in low volume high air velocity systems are also subject to much faster breakdown rates in the atmosphere from ultraviolet and solar radiation than are the larger droplets produced in conventional or dilute spray machines. Furthermore, this biodegradation of spray droplets in the atmosphere is up to ten times faster than breakdown of droplets on the ground or in the water.

ESCAPE VELOCITY

Escape velocity and numbers of particles in high volume machines are the keys to direction and coverage. Because of low air volumes used in most low volume sprayers, these droplets are more influenced by axial air flows around limbs and leaves, often depositing on the backs or underside of leaves as well as on the side facing directly into the air stream. Too much air means spray droplets, especially the larger sizes produces in abundance by conventional machines, are sprayed on foliage and limbs and then blown off.

MAJOR FACTORS FOR LV SYSTEMS

In summary, cost factors, low operating costs, safety, evenness of coverage, narrower droplet size ranges, low pump pressures, consistent output, and low water requirements are major advantages of low volume spray systems over the conventional systems. Long term environmental improvement and economy are also major factors that have given low volume high concentrate systems their dominance in many areas of the world where quantitative and qualitative production of food and fiber crops is necessary.

Physical and Theoretical Differences

20 QUESTIONS MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED ABOUT LOW VOLUME SPRAYING AND THEIR ANSWERS

Q1: What does "low volume" mean?

A1: As the word "low" implies, this system uses very low gallon acre rates of the water carrier, in some instances as low as 1 to 5 gallons per acre. This means chemicals being applied are much more concentrated and sometimes low volume is called concentrate spraying. Low volume spraying has been a development generally associated with air velocities of 175-200 mph, a much greater velocity than high volume or "air-blast" spraying (60-120 mph). The high air velocity is a major factor in creating the droplet numbers and sizes found in low volume sprayers. It is these numbers and sizes (5-150 microns) or droplets that have made low volume spraying so efficient.

Q2: How efficient is it?

A2: Low volume records of performance in Europe, Australia, Israel, North America, and South America indicate high efficiency and wide acceptance of the low volume system. In nearly all tests, less amounts of material per acre or hectare were used than in gun or high volume tests in the same area. Actual amounts of chemicals deposited on upper and lower leaf surfaces of plant targets were highest in low volume application tests than in any other spraying tests. Residue analysis of such systems, viewed with skepticism at the start, has been accepted as one of the major advantages in low volume spraying.

Q3: Is it too efficient for consumer safety using present

100 gallon rates and multiplied 3x or 4x?

A3: It is efficiency "overkill" to use any dilute rate and multiply a factor of 3x or 4x in using a low volume sprayer. Some materials can be used at a 1x or dilute rate. In general a low volume low volume user should think in terms of 1x, 3x or 5x. No one has every agreed on "X" and such thinking is outdated in low volume spraying. Any rate per acre recommendation should come from state, provincial, or federal researcher's filed testing of any and all controlled chemicals.

Q4: How costly is it?

A4: Low volume spraying costs have generally been less than high volume spraying costs and in many instances a great deal less, by as much as three times less. Make of the machine is important and several reliable manufacturers now have low volume sprayers that have been field tested for at least 10 to 15 years and operate at costs much lower than their conventional predecessors.

Q5: How does it work? Can less chemical per acre be used

and still have good economic returns?

A5: In low volume spraying you always talk amounts of chemicals used per acre. This means the first thing you do with a low volume sprayer is to check its spray output over an acre which is 43,560 square feet. Travel at the speed your sprayer is equipped for (2--7 mph in most crops) and determine what gallonage you have put on and how long it has taken you. State and federal agencies have information on rates of chemicals needed for crop pests and disease in your area and now that chemical manufacturers are putting these rates on their containers, you have two sources of information on acre rate usage. World results have consistently shown that less chemicals per acre in a good low volume system can give good economic returns and clean yields to low volume sprayer users. A few key pests require extra amounts of materials or volumes per acre. These are general scale insects or insect pests and diseases that are best controlled by dormant sprays.

Q6: Why the need for high air velocity yet lower pump pressures in somesystems?
What happens to droplets in this high air velocity?
Are theymore likely to join and make big droplets?

A6: High air velocity and reduced pump pressure has proven to be efficient for droplet break-up in low volume spray machines. Low volume high air velocity sprayer use has meant expensive high pressure pumps, used in high volume or dilute "air-blast" machines are no longer needed. Less costly but efficient impellor pumps are all that is needed. Pressure is money, hence low pressure is less money and much less wear and tear on equipment. Droplets in this high air velocity are sheared or broken up into much more consistent size ranges and this makes for more even and efficient spray patters and better axial flow of air and deposition of spray chemicals around and on foliage and fruit.

Generally, high air velocity machines are low volume in air output. This means the air velocity drops rapidly and at 5 to 6 feet many be only a fraction of the original velocity. However, droplets in this air stream lose their velocity much slower than the air stream itself and so given this initial escape velocity much like BB pellets from an air gun, they are capable of travelling adequate distances in any spray operation.

Because of the high air velocity, the possibility of droplets joining each other in the air stream are negligible. High air velocity means much more "room" in the air stream with increased distances between drops, once they are formed in this high velocity air stream. Droplets rarely join each other in these high air velocity systems, and once formed retain their respective sizes.

Q7: What about aerial drift and its hazards in low volume spraying?

A7: No one denies there are drift hazards from low volume spraying as any spray system has drift associated with it. However, low volume drift to begin with has less chemical per care of application in its makeup than do most conventional sprays. Low volume spraying is mostly an atmospheric drift problem rather than the more serious terrestrial or aquatic drift and contamination problem associated with conventional or dilute spraying.

Because no runoff or "drip" is associated with good low volume spraying, terrestrial and aquatic contamination is lessened. Because spray chemicals in the atmosphere break down from the action of sunlight, ultra-violet radiation, temperature and humidity much more rapidly than do spray chemicals in soil or water, the "half-life" or spray chemicals from low volume systems and their long term and total effect on the environment are much less of a problem in the atmosphere than on the ground or in the water. Drift from any spray system must be considered a potential hazard to any applicator but sensible precautions make low volume spraying less hazardous than any other type of spraying.

Q8: Can I convert my high volume to dilute spraying?

A8: Concentrate spraying incorporates greater scientific accuracy in its usage than any previous types of spray systems. Contrary to the opinions of some manufacturers, old-fashioned, inefficient, and costly dilute machines (200-600 gal/acre or more) cannot be realistically used in low volume (10-20 gal/acre) machines. Mechanically, the main reasons are because air velocities are inadequate in the usual dilute machines as 80-120 mph (maximum) is not even threshold air velocity needed for good low volume machines while pump pressures of 200-500 psi are redundant in low volume high air velocity machines which need only 10-25 psi pump pressures for efficient operation.

Q9: What is m.m.d. and what does it mean?
What about droplet size and range?

A9: There are several systems that can be used for determining in the field and with considerable accuracy, particle size of spray droplets. Sometimes particle size is described as mass median diameter (n.m.d.) This is a volume measurement and refers to that sizes of droplet in a range of droplet sizes when 50% of the volume of a given number (500) of droplets is reached. The n.m.d. is the average size of droplets of the 500 counted and this is rarely the same as the m.m.d.

The m.m.d. is the most confusing of the two terms so a step process may best describe it. Let us look through a bioscope equipped with a measuring eyepiece and count 500 drops from a spray discharge that were trapped in silicone liquid or polybutane on a glass slide passed through the spray stream at a 6 foot distance from the sprayer blower. Droplet size range many be from 16-300 microns in steps of 16 microns, (i.e.) 16, 32, 48, 64, 80, etc. Droplets in each size range are totalled and their volume is determined. The total volumes are then added and the total divided by 2. At the mid-point of this volume one looks at the closest size range of droplets. Let's say it is 96 microns. This then means the m.m.d. of those 500 droplets is 96 microns. One micron is approximately 1/25,000 per inch, so at 96 microns, we still have a small droplet.

Q10: What is pattern? Is it the same for insects and diseases?

A10: Pattern is the number of droplets in a size range covering a given area. An example would be 1,500 droplets in a range of 10-150 microns in one square inch. Pattern efficiency will vary, depending on concentration of the spray chemical and disease or insect being sprayed. Insects that move around do not need as close or concentrated a pattern as that needed for non-moving insects such as scale insect. Sprays for non-moving insects such as scale must hit the insect to be effective and this means a more concentrated spray pattern is needed than for moving insects such as mites or aphids.

Chemical sprays for disease are much like those for scale insects and they approach the "soak" level but never to the runoff level. Modern low volume machines re capable of these fine differences in rates of spray application. This reduces the possibility of runoff by incorporating a "timelag" in their application.

Q11: How fast can I travel with low volume?

A11: A range of 2 to 7 mph is the general rate of travel for low volume machines and this depends on the crop being sprayed, crop growth stage, chemical being used, concentration of this chemical, and power of the tractor, or size of the blower.

Crops that are characteristically "open" such as dwarf orchards, grain crops, etc. and not too dense in foliage, or dormant and early stages of certain crops, permit travel rates of 3-1/2 to 8 mph in low volume sprayers without any loss in application efficiency. Sometimes the chemical or concentration of the chemical is such that droplets as small as 10-20 mu are adequate to control the disease or insect pest life stage that is affecting the crop. This negates the need for larger droplets or spraying to the drip stage.

Tractor power must be carefully considered in PTO operated spray machines because power to the PTO must be adequate to maintain high air velocity in the turbine or blower fan, operate the pump and agitator system correctly, and move the entire equipment at a correct speed. Hilly terrain can interfere with efficient low volume spraying if too low a horsepower tractor is used. On an upgrade, air velocity, pump pressure, and travel speed will be too slow and on a downgrade tractor speed will probably be too fast. Proper travel speed then is when the tractor has adequate power to maintain correct air velocity, pump output and pressure, and forward speed regardless of terrain or ground conditions.

Q12: What about thick or unpruned trees or shrubs in a planting?

A12: Thick or unpruned trees or shrubs in a planting can usually be sprayed adequately by reducing the forward speed of the tractor. This is the only basic change one should make as it is an error to increase spray volume output or air velocity beyond the regular operational range of any low volume sprayer.

Q13: What about soil contamination? Should I spray to "drip" or "runoff?" A13: Soil contamination from low volume sprayers can be as little as 1/10th of that from high volume, gun, or boom sprayers. Drip or runoff is impossible when the LV sprayer is properly operated. Modern low volume machines have good directional output on blowers so direct spraying at the ground can be avoided. Lateral or horizontal spraying in dwarf, and semi-dwarf orchards and alignment of blowers in spraying standard orchards, citrus, or pecan groves so that spray discharge is horizontal or slightly up at the bottom of any blower is desirable. This reduces soil contamination to a minimum and when accompanied by the "no drip" or "runoff" aspects possible in low volume spraying, soil contamination from low volume spraying is the least of any spray system in current use.

Q14: Is output consistent? What about nozzle wear?

A14: Contrary to existing opinions held by many is the fact that several spraying systems are capable of sustained output of spray materials and such systems produce consistent and uniform particles in a fairly narrow range (5-150 microns). Such systems make use of the air shear principle in droplet production and require high air velocities from 175-220 mph or higher, and low pump pressures of 10-25 PSI. Because pressure costs money it is realistic to consider low pressure sprayers as here to stay. The new types of spray systems produce these narrow ranges of droplet sizes and consistent volumes continuously and such spraying systems fit into the category of precision made scientific apparatus rather than "bulk sprayers." The use of vacuum in the nozzles of these systems is another recent innovation that contributes to accuracy of output and consistent droplet size, and avoids the errors and inconsistent outputs associated with old fashioned disc and swirl type nozzle systems which are more subject to wear from the concentrated sprays being used.

Q15: Supposing I have scale insects and use oil in control sprays?
How does low volume rate here? Why?

A15: Low volume may be satisfactory when used at rates of 60-80 gallons per acre are needed and have worked well in various parts of North America. Scale is one insect pest you have to reach and soak because the female life stage never moves after mating. Control chemicals such as oil have to contact her, soak her, and "leak" in under her protective shield to be effective. Consult your local Agricultural Representative on rates and types of materials to use against such a pest.

Q16: What do I do about my low volume sprayer when I have
to put on 100 to 500 gallons per acre?

A16: Increasing your gallons per hour output is achieved by using the AgTec dilute manifold systems. Depending on the crop and the area you are spraying in, the forward speed should be such that no runoff is visible. Pump pressure and air velocity should not be changed so that the efficient performance characteristic of the low volume machine remains efficient as to pattern and coverage. Remember, you want a "soak" level at these rates without "runoff" or "drip."

Q17: Isn't high concentration of materials hard on equipment like pumps
and valve seats, swirl plates and discs?

A17: High concentration of chemicals in the spray tank is hard on pumps, lines and nozzles or air jets but modern low volume machines are geared for this. Low pressures are characteristic of modern low volume sprayers because air and not pressure is the main force in accurate droplet formations. Air vacuum nozzles with no swirl plates or discs to block or wear are the best systems to have on your low volume sprayer as vacuum is part of this type of system or release of the control chemicals into the high velocity air stream. Low volume spraying is a much more accurate system of chemical application than dilute, and combines rate of acre usage with air velocity, droplet size, tractor speed, and other parameters known for a specific crop in a specific area.

Q18: How do I know what rates to use?

A18: When you purchase your low volume machine, the supplier will have some information on acre rates of various materials. Your extension specialist is another source of information and spray calendars are now indicating acre rates as well as dilute. Regional data is best to follow as weather and climate can mean more efficient usage of the low volume system in your area. Future rates on spray calendars will help you assess your needs and assist you in making decisions on your chemical usage.

Q19: Is foaming in the tank OK?

A19: Foaming in the tank is not good because pump action is inefficient and rates per acre are affected. Foaming may be caused by air leaks at the pump or in the lines, incompatibility of chemicals in the tank, or too high temperatures. The use of anti-foaming agents may be necessary.

Q20: How many materials can I apply at once? How about my water quality?

A20: Compatibility of some materials has been worked out when 2 materials are to be used at the same time (insecticide and fungicide). However, when three or more materials are to be put in the same tank, problems such as incompatibility of the materials can occur. Consult your extension specialist or the chemical representative on such matters.

Water quality, whether it is acid or alkali, should be know by the applicator. Many materials lose their efficiency in alkali or base water and this is water with a pH above 7.0 or neutral. Buffering agents are available to help maintain water quality for low volume spray systems and "quality" water is generally 7.0 or slightly less (6.8). Too acid a water is as inefficient as water that is to alkaline hence the importance of knowing the pH of your water supply.

Superb Horticulture

2811 U.S. 31, Plymouth, IN 46563
CALL 1-800-567-8264

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