Dr. Rob Proulx at North Dakota State University updated the recommendations for ground application of fungicides to combat Fusarium Head Blight. The extension bulletin detailing the new recommendations can be found here . The long and the short of the updated recommendations is to use TeeJet's new asymmetric dual spray nozzles (Photo 1). These nozzles were specifically designed to spray fungicides at anthesis in cereals. This new style allows for ground speeds between 10 to 15 mph without sacrificing control when using a spray volume between 10 and 20 gallons per acre and pressure yielding a coarse droplet size. For example, a sprayer equipped with AI3070-03VP nozzles will deliver a coarse droplet size at 60 to 80 psi to between 11 and 12.5 gpa at 10 mph. When equipped with AI3037-04Vp nozzles, that same sprayer can travel up to 15 mph at 70 psi to deliver 10 gpa. Photo 1 - TeeJet AI3070-03VP nozzle (Photo credit: TeeJet Technologies)
Jamison Scholer, MDA Research Scientist, Jolene Warnke, UMN Pesticide Safety and Environmental Education Extension educator, and Tana Haugen-Brown, UMN Pesticide Safety and Environmental Education Extension educator Responding to pest threats that emerge in your crop fields and supporting beneficial insects (predators and pollinators) living around your farm doesn’t need to be mutually exclusive. Thoughtful consideration of pesticide selection, use timing, and application method can give you the benefits of both. Supporting beneficial insects that call your lands home means more tools in your arsenal to maximize yields and minimize pesticide inputs when economic thresholds are followed. For example, in soybean, pollinator visitation can increase yield in many nectar producing varieties 1, 2 . Maintaining untreated, uncultivated land around crop fields, such as field margins, ditches, conservation strips, etc., help support pollinators and predators that feed on crop pests and may reduc...