Pesticides must be applied correctly
I am uncertain of what message is/was intended by the photograph in the article on Page 5 of the April 24 issue of the Western Producer.
It depicts a self-propelled sprayer operating in what might be a green pasture, as there are few tall plants. The low held boom is trailing an extensive fog of spray that is higher than the boom structure.
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I consider this an example of unacceptable spraying technique.
The spray mixture (does it contain a pesticide?) is floating upward rather than falling to the surface, exposing it to any wind currents. Where would these droplets finally fall?
Anyone reading the accompanying article detailing the court action against pesticides might (wrongly) assume this is the common way they are handled. It definitely is not.
In my spraying, typical volumes of water are 15 to 20 gallons of water per acre, applied at pressures to 30 p.s.i. Sometimes, seeing the spray pattern is difficult, there is so little.
I renewed my Ontario Grower Pesticide Safety Certificate earlier this year. The 400-page study manual has a section on pesticide application.
Its first chapter is entitled Drift of Pesticides. It describes how and when drift can happen and how it can be managed through equipment selection and operation and through timing of the application.
I now have my new certificate. I can report that my son received a higher score on the quiz.
Ed Pridham,
Stayner, Ont.
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