Improve Weed Control With Proper Nozzle Selection
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In addition to a strong weed control program approach, selecting the right herbicide nozzle is critical in providing effective control of today’s most challenging weeds.
“Selecting the proper nozzle for herbicide applications helps minimize drift, improves coverage and maximizes performance,” says Joe Bolte, market development specialist, Corteva Agriscience.
Here are four of Bolte’s tips to help ensure your herbicide applications stay on target for successful weed control.
- Identify the right nozzle type and orifice size for each application. Each herbicide in your program approach will have different droplet size or gallon per acre (GPA) requirements. Therefore, you may need multiple types of nozzles throughout the season to ensure effective season-long control.
Using the same nozzle type or orifice size for all applications throughout the growing season can result in inadequate coverage, herbicide drift and a reduction in efficacy due to discrepancies in droplet size and coverage needed to effectively control weeds.
“The GPA of herbicide applied can impact your nozzle size,” says Bolte. “For example, if we are spraying a preemergence residual herbicide at 10 gpa, the nozzle orifice size required for sufficient pressure may be smaller than what’s needed when spraying a postemergence herbicide at 20 GPA.” - Ensure the correct droplet size. Refer to the product label to see what droplet size is recommended. This will help minimize drift and maximize performance on challenging weeds with multiple growing points.
“During postemergence applications, you will want to select nozzles that provide a smaller droplet size to ensure all growing points are covered,” Bolte says. “But, remember, using too small of a droplet size will increase the chances of drift.” Therefore, each herbicide label will have a nozzle droplet size requirement such as very coarse, extra coarse and ultra coarse. Refer to the label on what is the smallest droplet allowed to be sprayed for that product.
The best coverage is achieved when a consistent droplet size within the labeled range is used. - Set the proper pressure. Always check the label for pressure range information. Bolte cautions that low nozzle pressure will produce large droplets, leaving weeds’ critical growing points uncovered, reducing the effectiveness of the application. High nozzle pressure may result in off-target movement.
“Selecting the appropriate nozzle type but not the proper pressure range may lead to off-target movement and/or inadequate coverage,” Bolte says. “If the pressure cannot be set properly, you may need to change your orifice size to ensure you are spraying the proper droplet size.” - Always refer to the product label and/or product use guide. Each crop protection product on the market has specific requirements that must be met to ensure product efficacy. These requirements can be found on the product label.
For your added convenience, the Enlist® weed control system offers a product use guide that’s updated annually. This guide provides a list of qualified nozzles for both Enlist One® and Enlist Duo® herbicides, as well as a breakdown of best practices for weed control success.
Get more details on nozzle selection in this video:
Enlist Duo® and Enlist One® herbicides are not registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your area. Enlist Duo and Enlist One herbicides are the only 2,4-D products authorized for use with Enlist® crops. Consult Enlist® herbicide labels for weed species controlled. Always read and follow label directions.
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