Application

Application of pesticides

The objective of applying a crop protection product is to resolve a particular plant health problem. Achieving this objective depends on various factors that must not be ignored. Incorrect application, in addition to wasting product, may cause additional problems in crops and lead to contamination of the operator and the environment. The recommendations given hereafter only highlight the safety aspects.

 Before applying

• Check that there are no persons or animals in the area to be treated
• Be sure to read the label of the product to be applied
• Do not drink alcohol before beginning treatments
• If you are using a tractor, make sure you have clean gloves with you to put on in case you need to repair anything on the sprayer
• In case of custom application (contract work), ensure that the operator is qualified and authorized.

During application

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The labels of products state under the heading Toxicological, Ecotoxicological and Environmental Precautions the minimum personal protective equipment (PPE) to be worn. If a product requires the use of special protective measures, these are stated on the label.

The minimum protective equipment recommended during applications consists of:

• Protective coveralls
• Nitrile gloves
• Rubber boots
• Hat/cap
• All protective equipment, with the exception of the hat/cap, should be marked with the CE symbol;
• Wear suitable nitrile gloves (ordinary kitchen gloves do not offer sufficient protection);
• Read the product label to check whether any additional protective equipment is necessary (apron, dust mask or respirator against vapour, goggles, etc);
• Ensure that the operators assistants are also properly protected with PPE.

Precautions during application

• Keep people and animals away from the areas to be treated;
• Do not eat, drink or smoke during application;
• Do not use your mouth to unblock nozzles.

Check the weather conditions, as these may affect the efficacy and safety of the treatment.

• Do not apply products in strong winds;
• The spray drift caused by the wind may be hazardous if it blows in the direction of the operator, other crops, water sources, animals or homes;
• Some products are easily washed off by the rain, so a dry period following spraying is necessary;
• Avoid applying crop protection products during the hottest time of the day.

The quality of application of the crop protection product will largely influence the success of the treatment, but has also an impact on the contamination of the operator.

• In tall crops where the application is directed upwards, the exposure of the operator is increased.
• In crops grown in confined spaces, tall plants and narrow plant rows, the operator contamination by sprayed wet foliage is increased.
• In high volume manual applications the length and direction of the spray lance ,the walking speed, and the direction of walking (forward, backwards) affect the degree of operator contamination. Walking backwards avoids contact with the sprayed wet foliage.

Left-over spray mixture

An experienced operator prepares just the quantity of spray mixture necessary for the desired treatment. In general, left-over spray mixture does not occur where operators are used to carry out crop protection treatments on the same parcels year after year and calibrated the application equipment themselves.

Where left-over spray mixture occurs, the correct procedure is to dilute the mixture by a factor of 10 and apply it on plants not intended for human or animal consumption. In such cases, it is necessary to analyse the reason why the excess spray mixture occurred and to adjust the procedure for future applications.

Application equipment

Make mechanical and operating checks and ensure that the application equipment is in good condition.

Use the application equipment in accordance with the use recommendations of crop protection products. This is a basic precondition for the success of the treatment. Read the manufacturers use recommendations and see whether these match the crop to be treated, the area and stage of growth of the crop, and the pest or disease to be controlled.

It is essential that the application equipment is calibrated and correctly maintained irrespective of the type of equipment used.

Calibration

The calibration of the application equipment is crucial for effective crop protection treatments. The calibration procedure is explained in detail in the following documents : calibration orchard sprayers, calibration vineyard sprayers, calibration boom sprayers and calibration knapsack sprayers.

Benefits of a correctly performed calibration are product savings for the farmer, an effective treatment and lower environmental impact by ground contamination and drift. Calibrating a device means ensuring that the spray will be correctly and uniformly applied at the recommended dose.

Before calibration, check that the application equipment is functionig correctly, that there are no dripping tubes and no blocked nozzles. Check also that the pressure gauge is functioning correctly, and that filters are clean.

Calibration should be performed at least once a year. Calibration should also be made whenever equipment changes or changes in the treatment process are made. Correctly calibrated equipment can avoid or at least significantly reduce left-over spray mixture at the end of the crop protection treatment.

Use of tractors with close cabin

A tractor equipped with a close cabin reduces operator exposure to a great extent.

The application equipment should be selected to match the field conditions (area, topography, crop, plant spacing, , etc) so as to achieve maximum efficiency at the lowest cost. A tractor is a high investment and it is therefore important to obtain the maximum benefit from it.

Wherever possible, the use of a tractor with a closed cabin is recommended. The additional investment is largely offset by enhanced safety and comfort for the operator.

Studies carried out in various countries show that using a tractor with a closed cabin can reduce operator exposure by approximately 10 times. A closed cabin protects the operator from the external environment (atmospheric agents, spray cloud, etc). Closed cabins should be approved and certified. They must fulfil minimum standards. The compliance with the standards is displayed on a plate indicating the OECD or EC notified body which carried out the tests.

Precautions when using a tractor

A tractor is a vehicle that should be operated with maximum care and in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. By way of example, we offer below some general guidelines for the safe use of tractors:

• Familiarise yourself with the tractor before using it;
• Avoid the possibility of the tractor overturning on steep slopes or in tight turns;
• Do not couple machinery that is too heavy for the tractors power;
• Do not work excessively long hours.

The following rules should be observed when spraying with a tractor: 

• When using a tractor with a closed cabin, keep clean gloves in the cab in case it is necessary to repair the application equipment (e.g. unblocking nozzles, etc).
• Close the sprayer nozzles when turning the tractor at the end of rows;
• Prevent the spray reaching areas other than the crop being treated. Take special care with watercourses or springs and leave an untreated zone around them (buffer zone);
• Ensure that the spray does not drift onto other areas. Where spray drift occurs, check the reason for this and correct the situation. Possible reasons are:
  • The wind is too strong;
  • Excessive nozzle pressure;
  • Unsuitable fine spray nozzles for the type of treatment;
  • The spray boom with nozzles is too high (distance between the treated crop and the spray boom)

Checklist

Safety is of crucial importance when applying crop protection products. It is recommend to follow the checklist below before starting treatment. If the answer to any of these items is No, the item concerned should be corrected.