By ANDREA McCANN
Indiana Correspondent

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — As the planting season approaches, if row crop farmers aren’t prepared for pre-plant herbicide and insecticide application, now’s the time. Because the window of opportunity for spraying may be small, preparation is key to optimal efficiency.

“Hopefully by now maintenance is already done, and they’ve already calibrated their equipment,” said Fred Whitford, coordinator of Purdue University pesticide programs. Proper calibration prevents under- or overapplication, both of which can lead to economic and time loss.

Plastic tanks should be checked for signs of cracking, and equipment should be secured and tied down, he said.

Farmers should make sure no nozzles are clogged along booms, according to Phil Nixon, extension entomologist and coordinator of the Pesticide Safety Education Program at the University of Illinois. He suggested running water through them and using a pressure gauge to make sure nozzles operate within 10 percent of each other and in their recommended range. Worn nozzles can cause overapplication, he explained.

“Ultimately, these machines are expensive – even with all the electronics, the small things are important,” Whitford said. “Making sure the nozzles are working is important.”

Something as simple as greasing the pump and making sure it operates properly could prevent a breakdown when equipment needs to keep moving, Nixon said. “Equipment that’s not working right can put (farmers) behind a day or two,” he said, adding with spring weather being what it is in the Midwest, it’s essential to be able to take advantage of every nice day.

There’s more to chemical application than just the spraying, Whitford emphasized. “It’s pretty straightforward once they get to the field,” he said.

He explained that farmers often rent ground and must travel between one property and another, or perhaps they own fields that aren’t connected to the main farm. He said those operators should think about the order in which their fields will be sprayed so they’re not zigzagging between properties.

They should take care to comply with Department of Transportation regulations when traveling between fields, as well. Tractors should all display slow-moving vehicle signs, Whitford said, and drivers of tractor-trailers should have medical cards. Tractor drivers should pull over as soon as possible when there are more than three vehicles “stacked behind them” on the highway, he said.
“The worst time to be stopped for a traffic violation and held back is when you’re working,” Whitford said.

Communication is another critical component of spray preparation, according to the specialist. He said farmers should contact people living near fields being sprayed so they know when to expect the chemical application and can take any precautions they feel are necessary.

“If (farmers) relying on commercial applicators, they should’ve already contacted them so they’ll be on the schedule,” he added.
Other efficiency tips from Whitford and Nixon include:

•Understand label restrictions and understand how products work so weeds don’t escape. This prevents having to make a second pass, according to Whitford.

•“If they need to use a restricted-use chemical, they should make sure they have a current private applicator permit,” Whitford said. “If they don’t, it’s going to take quite a bit of time to get one.”

•If there’s more than one chemical to apply to a field, Nixon said, the applicator can make sure they won’t clump or cancel each other out, and they may be able to be applied at the same time.

“They can check online or with the dealer to see if they can apply them together,” he said. “It greatly improves efficiency because they only have to go over the field once. It saves gas and is economically efficient, as well as time efficient, but they need to be compatible.”