Figure 1. Thoroughly cleaning a sprayer after pesticide application is necessary to avoid potential off-target contamination. Just one drop of dicamba can cause visible injury to three acres of crops.
A 120-foot sprayer can have as many as 96 nozzles and screens and stow away as much as 15 gallons of pesticide residue in its nooks and crannies after an application is done. Consider these tips for thoroughly cleaning your sprayer to avoid off-target contamination.
Besides using common sense, perhaps an applicator’s most important protection is wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Here's an illustrated guide as to what to wear and exposure risk for various body areas.
Figure 1. Respirators provide protection only if they are in good condition, appropriate for the work, and fit the subject. The fit test determines whether the respirator can provide protection. Remember to read and understand the label before using any pesticide.
As you ready your field equipment for the coming crop season, are you including a respirator as part of your personal protective equipment? Certain pesticides, such as formulations of Engenia® and Lorsban™, require a NIOSH-approved respirator to mix, load, handle, and apply.
New RUP dicamba Q&A: Since I must record how and when the spray system cleanout was done, how should I do this when using the same RUP dicamba product on Xtend soybeans for multiple loads and/or over several days?
Nebraska Extension's Pesticide Safety Education Program is expected to recertify more than 6,500 private, commercial, and noncommercial applicators in 2018. Annually it conducts more than 200 initial and recertification educational programs across the state.
If you're planning to use the new RUP dicamba products in 2018, you may have some questions. A new set of Frequently Ask Questions answers some of the most common questions posed to Nebraska Extension in recent weeks.
The world of pesticides is continually evolving; however, many basic principles of pesticide use for commercial and noncommercial applicators remain the same. It is vital to become familiar with how a product should be properly applied by reading and following its label. Listed here are some basic steps and a number of Nebraska Extension resources for further information. An article from the Proceedings of the 2018 Nebraska Extension Crop Production Clinics.
