Spray mix additives for reduction of spray drift
| Problem: | Aerial applicators continue to be interested in the effects of spray drift retardant adjuvants. Several new products have been introduced since the most recent publication of performance data on available materials. |
| Objective: | Assess selected spray drift reduction adjuvants for reduction of driftable fine droplets in wind tunnel studies. Determine propensity of these materials for resisting pump shear breakdown. |
| Approach: | Spray mixes of water, an EC blank, and recommended concentrations of selected drift reduction adjuvants will be processed in a wind tunnel with a laser spray droplet spectrometer and spray droplet spectra will be analyzed. These spectra will be compared to the same spray mixes without the drift reduction adjuvants. These spray mixes with adjuvants will be recirculated through a gear pump to simulate possible shear breakdown of the adjuvants from a full-load aerial application. Spray droplet spectra from these spray mixes will then be compared to spectra from the same spray mixes as previously determined. |
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Accomplishments: |
Seven products have already been processed through the protocol. Five additional products are in hand and two more have been promised by manufacturers for inclusion in the study. These materials will be processed in the protocol, the data analyzed, and a report prepared for scientific presentation. |
Ivan W. Kirk