PCC Nov/Dec 2019

VINEYARD REVIEW
MAXIMIZING THE EFFICIENCY
OF AIRBLAST SPRAYING
By LYNN R. WUNDERLICH | University of California Cooperative Extension Farm
All photos courtesy of L.R. Wunderlich, UC Regents
Agricultural operations are
becoming more efficient-have
you noticed?
Efficiency is defined as
using the least amount of
input to achieve the highest amount of
output. And any business person, engineer
or farmer knows that efficiency
saves money. Still, there is one critical
piece of equipment on every farm that
sometimes is forgotten when we talk
efficiency: the airblast sprayer.
When I think of maximizing the
efficiency of an airblast application, I
think of coverage. Spray coverage is
the opposite of drift, and good spray
coverage on the target, while minimizing
off-site pesticide movement, is the
goal when we take the sprayer out.
Here, some tips for improving the
efficiency of your airblast sprayer.
1. Take care of your equipment,
understand how it works. Don’t
ignore the basics. Keep a clean machine.
Cleaning improves the life of
the sprayer, reduces the chance of
cross-contamination of pesticides
and crop injury, and improves spray
quality. Although this is a “duh”, I
often encounter sprayer problems
that are due to neglect of the basics:
▶ The pump pre- and post-filters
should be cleaned at the end or start
of every spray day.
▶
Likewise, the nozzle strainers.
Cleaning the filters doesn’t take
much time but can make a huge
▶
difference in the application.
Replace the nozzles annually at least.
Enough said.
▶ The fan grill should be clear of
leaves and debris so it can intake air.
▶
▶
Be sure that the agitation-either
mechanical or hydraulic-is working
properly-this ensures a uniform
pesticide suspension.
Make sure your pressure gauge is
easy to read, uses a scale that makes
sense for your typical spray pressure
(no need to go to 1000 psi), and
check the pressure gauge against
another gauge for accuracy.
Continued on Page 34
32 Progressive Crop Consultant November / December 2019