Reducing Spray Drift and Increasing Spray Days with Redball-Hooded Sprayers - a Drift Comparison of a Redball-Hooded Boom Versus an Open Boom, and an Overview of Available Legal Spray Days in 2018

Justification: Reducing drift and achieving consistent coverage through the use of Redball^® Gen II Broadcast Hoods for cotton growers and helping to manage resistant weeds.

Objective: Show cotton growers the unique Redball Broadcast Hood design that helps enclose the spray pattern reducing pesticide exposure to the wind and illustrating the significant difference in drift compared to an open boom. Also give cotton growers an overview of available legal spray days in 2018.

Materials & Methods:

• Drift Comparison: Created a spray boom that features Redball Hoods on half of the boom and an open boom on the other. Using fans staged different wind speeds and collected drift particles on water sensitive paper set downwind.
• Available Spray Days: During May, June and July tracked rain, wind, and temperature across the United States and analyzed the data to determine available optimal spray days in 2018.

Results: Present to cotton growers the difference in drift between a Redball Hooded boom and an open boom as well as the available spray days in the 2018 season.