TECHNICAL


T


he latest turf protection products are capable of achieving exceptional results. But it is the skills of the sprayer operator and developments in the technology


used that can make the crucial difference. Turf sprayer operators face a number of unique challenges to achieve accurate and consistent results, often whilst under the close appraisal of a critical audience of players and public.


Understanding the fundamentals of the mechanics of spray application, recognising the targets to be hit and the need for effective timing are all key elements of the ‘Art of Application’. Furthermore, today’s operator has to be ever more mindful of the essential area of spray stewardship, avoiding problems of waste and minimising risk to the environment.


Sprayer operation involves balancing multiple aims and interacting factors with every application; there is rarely one right solution, particularly with tank mix applications. The key is making a conscious compromise, to aim to get the most important elements of any treatment into the optimum target zone.


Variable parameters for spraying • Nozzle choice • Water volume • Sprayer operation • Target zone Nozzle mechanics


At the point of delivery, nozzle choice has a huge bearing on where the spray will end up.


All nozzles produce an array of droplet sizes; large nozzles tend to produce more large droplets with greater velocity, whilst small nozzles create more small droplets. In general, small droplets are well retained on the leaves of turf grass plants, whilst large solid droplets have a tendency to bounce or roll off.


However, the nozzles’ operation has to be understood in tandem with the water volume being applied and the sprayer’s operating pressure. Syngenta research has shown that a large nozzle orifice producing higher proportion of larger droplets, such as an 08, is best for getting sprays down through the turf to reach the soil.


An 04 produces a greater proportion of small to mid-sized droplets that are good for leaf coverage, but some will also reach down to the crown and thatch. Whilst a smaller nozzle, such as an 025, typically produces a greater proportion of smaller droplets that can be better retained on the leaf, with more effective coverage of the surface.


Using water sensitive paper laid out on sheets on the ground is a really effective way of looking at different nozzle sizes, water volume and operating pressures for individual situations.


One of the issues is that small droplets, with low velocity, are far more susceptible to drift. Targeting tight cut turf surfaces, such as golf greens, is especially challenging since there is very little area or volume to capture and hold the spray; small sub 50 micron droplets can be left suspended in the air, which can then be easily blown away. Increasing the average droplet size will


Syngenta Technical Manager Glenn Kirby with water sensitive paper test


PC December/January 2020 121


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148