Technical
Nozzle selection is a critical part of accurate application, delivering the appropriate water volume at the required speed to hit the intended target. Andrew typically uses a water volume of 200 l/ha for foliar applied products, such as Primo Maxx or Instrata fungicide, whilst soil uptake nutrients would be applied at up to 600 l/ha to penetrate through the sward.
Syngenta Turf XC Nozzles produce the optimum spray droplet spectrum and reduce the risk of drift loss. Nozzles are checked regularly for output and pattern, and the whole set changed with any sign of wear. Complete spare sets of nozzles should be readily accessible if required
West Malling’s chemical store has really good clearly labelled racking that keeps bottles off the floor. Stock is rotated to ensure part used product is used up and any older product used first. Syngenta products are date stamped at bottling that helps with store management
A whiteboard keeps an up to date stock list of what is in the store, including part bottles. It is mounted on the wall outside the store, so there is no need to open up to check what is inside
The concrete pad filling and wash-down area at West Malling has a self-contained draining system, with any rainwater or washings from the area collected and pumped through a bio-clean system. There is no risk of spillage or residues reaching the groundwater. Gates are shut off to prevent any golfers or public entering the area during the filling process
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is kept easily to hand. If there is more than one operator, it is convenient to have a dedicated set of equipment of the correct size. All staff should be aware of PPE requirement for handling any pesticides used
A solid secure door keeps products safe, with clear signage as a designated pesticide store for emergency services. The concrete block walls protect from extremes of temperature that can affect product formulations. Ideally an automatic frost protection radiator would reduce risk of extreme low temperatures. Note the doorway has a concrete block bund to prevent any loss from potential spills
Top Tip
Knowing the area you are spraying is essential in calculating tank mix requirements, and for checking the accuracy of application rates.
Courses can be professionally mapped, but GPS technology such as a Garmin and even an app on a mobile phone can give excellent results. You can also accurately calculate areas from Google maps and free web software
The filling area should also have a spill kit readily to hand in case of concentrate spillage. Sawdust is good, but even better is a bag of cat litter from a pet store which is highly absorbent and holds the liquid; it can be swept up with a dedicated dustpan and brush and put in a labelled plastic bag for disposal. A dedicated spill kit costs less than £5, but could avert a serious problem from a spill
PC DECEMBER/JANUARY 2016 I 125
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