Woodruff County
 Agriculture Podcasts
July 3, 2008
Cleaning Field Sprayers to Avoid Crop Injury
(2:18 minutes)
Audio/Video Script:
Eugene Terhune
County Extension Agent - Staff Chair
On today's modern farms, crop yield and quality depends on effective
applications of agricultural chemicals. The proper selection, use and
maintenance of sprayers can save you money by improving the performance of the
agrichemicals you use and can protect your crop and the environment.
This is Eugene Terhune, Woodruff County Extension Agent with the University
of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture.
With the increased emphasis on custom herbicide applications, postemergence
weed control and the use of newer herbicides that are active at low application
rates, growers and applicators need to properly clean and maintain the spray
equipment. This will go a long way to avoid injury to non target crops,
particularly when using the sprayer on different crops.
Crop injury from sprayer contamination can occur up to several months after
using the sprayer if it has not been cleaned properly. Herbicide residues in the
sprayer can redissolve later when they come into contact with other herbicides,
their solvents or their spray adjuvants.
When using herbicides you should always plan to end the workday with an empty
tank. If you will be using the same agrichemical the next day, thoroughly
flushing the spray tank with clean water is sufficient and will help prevent
drying and hardening of pesticide residues.
If a different agrichemical will be used, then a more comprehensive procedure
is recommended immediately after use. The herbicide label is the best source of
instructions for properly cleaning a sprayer before you change pesticides and/or
crops. Sometimes the label may require the tank and hoses to soak for a period
of time in specific cleaning solution before using a different pesticide and/or
going to another crop.
Remember to be sure to read the pesticide label.
This is Eugene Terhune, Woodruff County Extension Agent with the University
of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture.
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