Storing fungicides safely
Growers who stocked up on fungicides for the 2005 growing season due to the threat of Asian soybean rust will likely be facing fungicide storage issues this winter, especially since it is likely that most products cannot be returned. The good news is that most fungicides have a shelf life of at least two years--and probably longer--assuming they are stored correctly. Optimum storage conditions are cool, dry conditions, away from sunlight. Storage temperatures should not go below freezing; however, if a fungicide does freeze, then slowly thaw it out at room temperature. Read the labelSome formulations or products have special storage requirements that are printed on the label. Most liquid pesticides should not be stored at temperatures below 40 °F since low temperatures can cause the product to break down and/or the containers to break. Pesticides can separate during storage; therefore, they should be well agitated before they are added to the spray tank. Other important points to ensure safe storage of fungicides (and all other pesticides) include:
The above tips were compiled from Iowa State University's publication Store Pesticides Safely (PDF), Cornell University's Shelf Life of Pesticides, and The Ohio State University's Pesticide User's Guide. Updated 11/08/2006 - 5:13pm
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