Waste Pesticide Program Program costs offset by portion of license fees Usually in June in various Montana locations. Must pre-register!!! Local Extension Office Montana Dept of Ag – , Dan Sullivan

Calibration

How much pesticide do I add to the tank? Gallons per acre or GPA How many acres can we spray with a certain volume What is the labeled rate Dose calculation (how much do I add to the tank)

Calibration Strip Method Single Nozzle Method 128 th acre method

But first…. Determining GPA with a backpack or hand sprayer 18 ½ feet 1 8 ½ feet

Backpack - GPA 18 ½ x 18 ½ foot square Spray & time yourself Spray into bucket Collect in Ounces Ounces = GPA Why does this work?

Backpack GPA Example Sprayed calibration square and it took 45 seconds Sprayed into bucket for 45 seconds and collected 64 ounces GPA = 64

Calibration Strip Method Take a small area and relate it to an acre Need to know area of small area (calibration strip) Amount of liquid sprayed over strip Number of strips in an acre One acre = 43,560 ft 2

Calibration Strip Method 66 feet (swath) x 66 feet (calibration strip) = 4,356 ft 2 43,560 ft 2 = 10 strips 4,356 ft 2 3 gallons per strip 10 strips x 3 gal/strip GPA = 30

Boom Sprayers No matter what method of calibration is used, you need to…. –check nozzle spacing –check output across the boom.

Checking Nozzle Spacing & Height

Nozzle Orientation

Nozzle output

Checking Nozzle Output

20” Remember! Check Nozzle Spacing Then……

51 oz 50 oz 42 oz Check Nozzle Output!

Output should be within 10% of the average of all the nozzles Nozzle 1 = 51 oz Nozzle 2 = 50 oz Nozzle 3 = 42 oz 143 oz  143 oz  3 = 48 oz  4.8 or 5 43………48……..53 maybe 45½…48….50 ½ Check Nozzle # 3 Check Nozzle 1& 3  RecheckRecheck 10 %

Nozzles Output in Ounces 21 Seconds ***** Average = 14.9 or 15 ounces +10% = 16.5 ounces -10% = 13.5 ounces

Boom Sprayer Calibration Strip Method Need swath width (W) Course length (L) Number of strips in one acre 43,560 ft 2 L x W Amount of liquid applied per strip

Using test strip

Collect from each nozzle using test strip time.

Figure your GPA Example: –Swath width is 35 ft –Course length is 200 ft –Calibration strip = 7,000 ft 2 (35 x 200) –There are 6.22 strips in one acre (43560 ÷ 7000) –You collect from all the nozzle into one bucket 4 gallons –6.22 x 4 = or 25 GPA

Broadjet = g in 13 sec x 0.5 g = 6.4 GPA

Boom-GPA 15 ounces = 15 GPA Check the label May be too low.

How many acres can you spray. Volume used GPA

How many acres can you spray - Example Have a 1000 gallon tank. Only want to apply 500 gallons. GPA = gallons = 20 acres 25 GPA Backpack 5 gallons = acres 64 GPA

Acres - Example 2 Suppose you only want to spray 10 acres. GPA = 25 (25 GPA) 25 GPA x 10 acres = 250 gallons

Dosage Determination Listed rate per acre …Read the label Lbs. of a.i. per acre –Liquid –% W.P.

Listed Rate Per Acre Acres x labeled rate = dose 10 acres x 1 pint/acre = 10 pints in a given volume – 300 gallon mix = 10 acres 30 GPA – 10 pints of product to make a 300 gallon mix.

Pounds per Acre - Liquid Example – 1 lb of a.i. is recommended per acre 1 gal. Formulation x 1 lb a.i = 0.5 x 1 = 0.5 gal formulation/acre 2 lb a.i. Acre Rate = 1 = 0.5 gallons formulation/acre Lbs. a.i./gallon 2

Dry Formulations 2 lbs per acre of an 80% WP is prescribed 1 lb formulation x 2 lb a.i. = 2.5 lbs formulation/acre 0.80 lb a.i. Acre Rate per acre = 2 lb a.i. = 2.5 lbs % a.i. 0.80

How much product to add to tank. Rate/acres x acres treated Example: 1 pt/acre x 10 acres = 10 pints. Backpack acres x 16 oz. = 1.2 oz.

Boom Sprayer GPA 128 th Acre Method Measure distance between nozzles. Use chart for test course distance. Nozzle output must be close to uniform Ounces collected from one nozzle = GPA Nozzle spacing (in.) Test Strip (ft) * * 340 ÷ spacing (ft)

Broadjet -= 128 th Acre Method Measure swath width Set calibration course Swath width Course length * *5460 ÷ W (ft) Time yourself Collect for same time Pints collected = GPA