What two factors should pesticide applicators be most aware of to avoid spray drift?

To effectively avoid spray drift, it is crucial for pesticide applicators to be aware of temperature and pesticide volatility.

Temperature influences the potential for spray drift because higher temperatures can increase the volatility of certain pesticide formulations. When pesticides are more volatile, they can evaporate more readily and may drift away from the intended target. This can lead to off-target application, which not only diminishes the effectiveness of the treatment but can also harm non-target organisms and the environment.

Pesticide volatility, which refers to the tendency of a substance to vaporize, is directly impacted by temperature. Pesticides that have higher volatility rates can be affected by temperature increases during the application, leading to a greater likelihood of drift. Understanding these two factors allows applicators to choose the right time for application when temperatures are lower, minimizing volatility and potential drift.

While humidity and solar radiation do play roles in the effectiveness of pesticides and their behavior in the environment, they are not as directly linked to the immediate risk of drift as temperature and volatility. Soil type and moisture level are primarily important for ground-based applications and crop health, rather than airborne spray applications. Wind direction and barometric pressure can influence pesticide application conditions but are not as fundamentally critical as the interplay of temperature and volatility regarding