Ohio State University Extension Bulletin

Food, Agricultural, and Biological Engineering

590 Woody Hayes Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43210

Reducing Spray Drift

Bulletin 816-00

Author

H. Erdal Ozkan
Professor
The Ohio State University
Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department
590 Woody Hayes Drive
Columbus, OH 43210

Contents

• Introduction
• What is Drift?
• Two Types of Drift
• Spray Drift is Undesirable
• Factors Affecting Drift
• Droplet Size
  • Nozzle Type and Size
  • Nozzle Orientation
  • Spray Height
  • Spray Pressure
  • Chemical Formulation
  • Evaporation
  • Weather
  • Operator Skill and Care
• Equipment Modifications
  • Low-drift Nozzles
  • Shielded Sprayer Boom
  • Covered (Shrouded) Boom
  • Air-Assisted Spraying
  • Electrostatic Spraying
• Drift Mitigation Strategies
• Summary
• References

Acknowledgment

The author thanks Thomas A. Camm, Program Assistant, Pesticide Applicator Training, for his technical assistance; Thomas L. Bean, Extension Safety Leader; and Robert D. Fox, Agricultural Engineer, USDA-ARS, Wooster, Ohio, for reviewing this publication and offering valuable suggestions. The author also thanks Mary Hoffelt, Anne Mischo and Mark Tucker, Section of Information and Applied Communications, for their artistic and editorial contributions.

Copyright © The Ohio State University 2000

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Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ag. Adm. and Director, OSU Extension.

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