A Comparison of an Unhooded and Hooded Sprayer for Pesticide Drift Reduction

Abstract

Management of drift from pesticide applications is important for human and environmental health concerns. It is also necessary to ensure adequate dosage of the pesticide meets the target species(s). A variety of factors can affect the drift potential of a pesticide application, including nozzle selection, solution chemistry, and application equipment. In the present study, a comparison of two ground sprayers, one with a hood and one without a hood, is made using three common ground nozzles in the US. The hooded sprayer reduced the drift potential of the pesticide application for all nozzles tested. In addition, higher spray coverage under the boom was measured when using the hooded sprayer. The results of this study indicate that incorporating a hood will lead to reduced drift potential from a pesticide application.