Tank mix adjuvants and additives have a role to play throughout the spray application process. We can divide this into four sections:Additives can be used during sprayer filling as:
Anti foam – eliminate excessive foaming by physically bursting air bubbles and reducing surface tension. Prevention is better than cure so always add Companion Gold to spray tank first.
pH buffers – high pH in the spray solution and soil water can lead to rapid breakdown (alkaline hydrolysis) of the active ingredient. Nelson, Stingray and Companion Gold buffer the pH to 4.5-5.5 to prevent this.
Water conditioners – hard water contains Ca++ & Mg++ cations that react with certain pesticides (e.g. glyphosate) reducing efficacy. Companion Gold, Nelson and Stingray deactivate and sequester Ca++ & Mg++ preventing salt precipitation and spray blockages and increasing pesticide efficacy.
Factors such as nozzle type and angle, boom height and forward speed increase the number of driftable fine spray droplets (under 100 microns). Companion Gold and Lok-it contain specialised components that reduce the number of fine spray droplets ensuring accurate spray deposition on the target.
Nelson, Roller and Velocity reduce droplet surface tension, minimising bounce and run off from the leaf surface providing excellent coverage. Roller and Velocity contain humectants that slow droplet drying to increase absorption. Nelson and Velocity increase uptake through the outer wax layers.
Companion Gold improves rainfastness and weathering of the spray droplet by increasing adhesion to the leaf surface.
Applied pre or early post emergence, residual herbicides are prone to spray turbulence beneath the boom. This results in uneven spray deposition over the soil surface.
As farmers continue to scrutinise every input cost, improving phosphorus use efficiency is becoming an increasingly important part of crop nutrition strategies.
We're trialling SeaBoost, a blend of fish hydrolysate, Sea2Soil and L-CBF TerraFed, to support oilseed rape establishment and address cabbage stem flea beetle damage. Early results indicate reductions in pest impact and improved crop greening. Ongoing trials will look at application timing and the use of Nanomesh for additional protection.
Group 4 hard feed wheat, Mindful, is proving a winner for farmers looking for high feed wheat yields, or livestock uses, such as whole cropping or crimping, according to Agrovista agronomist John Ball.
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