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Calibration Resources
If two heads are better than one, as the old saying goes, should twice the application rate be twice as nice? Absolutely not!
Applying too much pesticide is costly and unlawful. It also can damage crops or other plants and animals and result in illegal residues raising food safety concerns.
On the other hand, using too little pesticide may result in poor pest control, contribute to pesticide resistance and make retreatment necessary.
Protecting the environment and saving money are two common concerns of growers. But calibration of application equipment—a practice that can do both—isn’t common enough.
“A 30-minute calibration could save a grower thousands of dollars not just in chemical expenses but in lost yield or even monetary penalties,” says Gary Fish, Board of Pesticides Control certification specialist.
Need a calibration refresher?
Hand Operated Sprayers
- Small Sprayer Calibration (PDF) - Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
- Sprayer Calibration (PDF) - Montana State University
- Calibrating and Using Backpack Sprayers - Virginia Cooperative Extension
- Calibrating Spray Gun Applications to Turf (PDF) - University of Illinois Dept. of Agricultural Engineering
Granula Sprayers
- Granular Application Equipment Calibration (PDF) - South Dakota Department of Agriculture
- The Calibration of Turfgrass Boom Sprayers and Spreaders (PDF) - North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
Boom Sprayer
- Boom Sprayer Calibration - Ohio State University
- Boom Sprayer Calibration (PDF) - Cornell University
- Calibrating Field Sprayers - University of Missouri Extension
- Large Sprayer Calibration (PDF)
- The Calibration of Turfgrass Boom Sprayers and Spreaders (PDF) - North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
Airblast Sprayers
- Block-specific sprayer calibration worksheet - UMass Amherst
- Six Steps to Calibrate and Optimaze Airblast Sprayers - Washington State university, Tree Fruit
- Airblast 101 - Developed by the ONtario Ministry of Agriculture and Food in association with Croplife Canada
General
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