Calibrating Spray Equipment Page 69

Why Calibrate Better Pest Control Environmental and human safety Effective use of time Inadequate control = more treatments Cost/Benefit ratio Lack of calibration = improper mixing 1 gallon of Tordon per 100 gallons of water Will revisit

What’s An Application Rate Gallons of liquid applied per acre GPA Water and pesticide mixed a.k.a. Sprayer volume Sprayer output Need to know GPA for mixing

Variables Affecting GPA Ground Speed (MPH) Speed up = less liquid = lower application rate Slow down = more liquid = increased application rate Consistency

Variables Affecting GPA Nozzle Flow Rate GPM Depends on Orifice size = 0.50 GPM = 0.20 GPM

Variables Affecting GPA Pressure 4x pressure to double GPA Increased pressure = smaller droplets Drift For Minor Adjustments Only

Variables Affecting GPA Spray Width or Spacing 100% swath overlapping doubles output

Variables Affecting GPA Nozzle Wear Worn tips = Over application Erratic patterns

Figuring Out GPA Label requirements More GPA = More Coverage

Figuring Out GPA Label requirements Determine Your Field Speed Know it to maintain it! 200 Feet in 27 seconds 200 27 X 0.682 = 5 MPH Buy a speed sensor

Figuring Out GPA Label requirements Determine Your Field Speed Collect from each nozzle - Find GPM 64 ounces Ounces . 128 oz. Per gallon = 0.5 Gallons = Gallons

Figuring Out GPA Label requirements Determine Your Field Speed Collect from each nozzle Want output of one nozzle Simply plug in the numbers

GPA is given or required! Need GPM for each nozzle! Rearrange formula

How Much To Add To The Tank Acres that can be sprayed with a given volume in the tank GPA Labeled Rate

How Much To Add To The Tank Acres that can be sprayed with a given volume in the tank Volume GPA = Acres 500 gal. 25 GPA = 20 Acres 20 Acres x 25 GPA = 500 gallons

How Much To Add To The Tank Acres x labeled rate per acre Acres that can be sprayed with a given volume in the tank GPA Labeled Rate Gallons? 20 acres x 3 pints/acre = 60 pints 60 pints  8 pints/gal. = 7.5 gal.

1 gallon of Tordon per 100 gallons of water - Sprayer applied 50 GPA - Could spray 2 acres with 100 gallons 100 gallons  50 GPA = 2 acres - Rate was 1 quart per acre - Only needed to add 2 quarts per 100 gallons 2 acres x 1 quart per acre = 2 quarts per 100 gallons - Over applied by 2x ($40 per acre)