KNOW YOUR NOZZLE

Small factors can help optimize herbicide applications.

- Chelsea Dinterman

When input prices are high and crop prices are low, optimizing every pass across the field helps keep budgets in the black.

While nozzle choice and maintenance may seem like small pieces of a weed management plan, they can offer impactful returns.

"If you know you're using a good product but have weed escapes, your nozzles are definitely an easy thing to look at," says Austin Weiss, a staff product application specialist at Syngenta.

Common Nozzle Options fungicide application's ideal nozzle may A application's differ from a pre-emergence herbicide application's preferred option. In a perfect world, farmers would optimize their nozzles for each pass. Realistically, many farmers want a one-size-fits-all option.

Each nozzle option offers different spray directions and droplet sizes.

•Flat Fan Nozzle

The standard flat fan nozzle, used in most agricultural operations, can cover a large area at faster speeds. These nozzles produce triangular spray patterns, with more liquid distributed within the fans' centers. Flat fan nozzles most commonly come in 80° or 110° tips, referring to the size of the spray fan.

Droplet sizes can vary across the fan.

To create a uniform application, Purdue University Extension recommends overlapping spray patterns by at least 50%.

•Angled Fan Nozzle

These nozzles spray product at an angle rather than straight down, as does a standard flat fan nozzle. The 3D90 from Syngenta, for example, is set at 55°, improving penetration into the plant canopy and reducing drift.