Hangzhou Situ New Material Technology Co., Ltd. introduced the ingredients and functions of the activator adjuvant that is usually sprayed on trees and vine crops. Provide advice on the choice of activator adjuvant. Growers must make their own decision on the use of activator adjuvants based on experience, special needs and risk tolerance.

Agricultural spraying aids are materials added to the spray tank when the sprayer is loaded. They include products classified as activator adjuvants and are sold in the form of wetting agents / dispersants, adhesives, wetting agents and / or penetrating agents. Activator adjuvants have been marketed to improve the performance of pesticides and foliar fertilizers.

Activator adjuvants can have a place in tree (and grapevine) crop sprays, but matching materials to work can be tricky. Improper matching can cause minor or significant losses to growers. The smaller loss may be due to excessive diffusion at the target plant and pesticide runoff. Phytotoxicity can cause significant damage.

Do I need to add an activator adjuvant?

Read and follow the specific instructions on the label. If the pesticide or foliar fertilizer label indicates that the product should be used with certain types or brands of adjuvant, it needs to be used.

Should I add an activator adjuvant?

If the label contains phrases such as "use of an adjuvant may improve results" or "requires full coverage for best results," then you may need to consider selecting and using a suitable activator adjuvant. Before continuing to use the activator adjuvant, please review your existing spray program. Have you tried your best to do the best spraying work? A good spray range should start with correct sprayer calibration and settings. Is your sprayer calibration adjusted for different stages of canopy development?

Optimal sprayer settings-gallon spray volume per acre, ground speed, fan output, and nozzle selection / layout-vary from dormancy to flowering to growing season to pre-harvest. At each regular stage of canopy development, adjusting the sprayer to the most suitable conditions for orchards and vineyards is the foundation of an effective and efficient spray plan. Activator adjuvants will not compensate for excessive tractor speed, poor nozzle placement and / or nozzle wear. It is best to spend the money on the sprayer throughout the season before considering the excess material in the tank (not required on the label). If you have allocated a sprayer at each orchard and growth stage, it is time to say "Well, I want to consider a little extra boost to my spraying work."

What activator adjuvant properties do I want?

First, understand the characteristics of the pesticide you will use. Does it work on the surface of the plant or inside the plant? This is the key to choosing an adjuvant. This is a quick review of the main categories and characteristics of activator adjuvants currently appearing in this field. Note: Some products can provide more than one adjuvant property-it may be beneficial in this area. For example, depending on the usage rate, nonionic surfactants can be used as surfactants and penetrants.

Wetting agent / dispersant: These materials contain surfactants, which reduce the contact angle and increase the spread of the spray on the target. Higher wetting agents / spreading agents may also increase the penetration of pesticides into target tissues (leaves or fruits), potentially causing phytotoxicity. When using a new or higher ratio spreader, it may cause too much spreading of the pesticide spray solution and target overflow, especially when using a silicon "super spreader". Before regular use, test the new combination of spreading material and spray volume. If the amount of labeled additives is excessive, it may be necessary to reduce the amount of spray per acre or the amount of additives.

To check for excessive spreading, place a certain length of black plastic cloth in a row under several trees or vines. Fix the plastic with long nails, wire nails and / or heavy objects. Use your current sprayer settings to spray new combinations of adjuvants and pesticides. Re-enter the field immediately after spraying, wear appropriate PPE and evaluate coverage. If the material accumulates in the lower part of the leaves and / or fruits, excessive spreading occurs. Check whether pooling occurs only in a certain area of ​​the canopy or in the entire canopy. If more spray solution falls on the black plastic tarp under the trees / vines, rather than between them, runoff occurs. A standard spray gun sprayer should be used to produce some ground deposits.

Compare the results of the auxiliary test with similar applications of the current pesticide / adjuvant combination in another part of the row. If there is no accumulation or loss of new adjuvant in the tank, you can use the adjuvant safely. Lack of pooling or loss of new additives may also mean that your old sprayer setup and tank mix will not provide adequate coverage. If tests with new adjuvants show accumulation on leaves and / or runoff on the ground, there are multiple options.

You can reduce the amount of sprayed per acre by replacing some or all of the smaller nozzle sizes on the sprayer to reduce overspray. If overspreading is seen in some parts of the hood and not in other parts, reduce the nozzle size only on the part of the boom that faces the overspray of the hood. If a nozzle change is made, recheck the spray coverage.

Reduce adjuvant rate and recheck coverage / transmission.

You can return to established procedures without new adjuvants. What is the "best" course of action? It depends on your agricultural operation. Reducing the amount of spray per acre means that each full spray can will cover more ground, which may save time and cost. If spraying is carried out during the day in hot and dry weather, evaporation of spray water is a major problem, and it is best to maintain a high spray volume and reduce or completely eliminate the spreading rate. Checking coverage and extension can enable you to make the best decision; avoid damage and hope to save money. All tillage operations are different. Make the best choice for your farm.
Stickers: These additives can increase the retention time of pesticides on the leaves and reduce rain wash. They may limit the migration of systemic pesticides into plants, and may be most beneficial when used with protective materials (cover sprays). Are you irrigating overhead? Is there rain on the horizon? If you answer "yes" to any of the above questions, you may benefit from stickers.

Moisturizers: Under low humidity conditions, moisturizers can help reduce spray evaporation before and after deposition on plants. This is particularly valuable when using small droplets and / or materials (systemic pesticides, PGR, nutrients, etc.) that must be absorbed by plants under high temperature and low relative humidity in summer.

Penetrants: These products are often used with herbicides, including oils (petroleum, vegetable oils or modified vegetable oils) and non-ionic surfactants, which are used in relatively high amounts. In crop sprays, penetrants can be used to increase the absorption of systemic pesticides (for example, oils containing Agri-Mek) and cross-layer materials. Penetration aids should be used with caution, or avoided with surface-active pesticides (such as covering sprays) at all, otherwise plant growth may result. Finally, some penetrants can improve the rain resistance of certain pesticides.

Which auxiliary materials should I choose?

Use products for crop spraying. Many activator adjuvants have been developed and are intended for use with herbicides. Products advertised for use with plant growth regulators have higher crop safety opportunities than products that do not use these products. This still cannot guarantee plant-free applications.
Will the adjuvant I choose work in my planned spray?

If you choose to use an adjuvant that is not explicitly listed on the pesticide or foliar fertilizer label, first test the planned spray solution in a jar. Use the same spray water source. Include all the leaf material, other adjuvants and pesticides you plan to put in the spray can. Do this before mixing these materials in the tank. Effective pesticide application requires a lot of time and money. Do your homework before filling the spray can and you will get reliable results smoothly.

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