THE CENTRE FOR PESTICIDE APPLICATION & SAFETY (CPAS)

School of Agriculture and Horticulture

The University of Queensland, Gatton

Nursery Pesticide Application Best Practice

Manual
FINAL

July 2002

A document prepared for

Horticulture Australia
(formally Horticultural Research & Development Corporation)

by

The Centre for Pesticide Application & Safety

(CPAS)

Project NY99001

With contributions from

Mr Gary Dorr
Mr Bill Gordon
Mr John Harden
Mr Graham Harden
Mr Nicholas Woods
Mr John Whitehead
Mrs Summer Mischke

Contact details
Centre for Pesticide Application & Safety
The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus
GATTON Q 4343, Australia
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 5
WHAT IS BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE FOR PESTICIDE APPLICATION IN THE
NURSERY INDUSTRY .................................................................................................. 5
REQUIREMENTS FOR BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE IN PESTICIDE APPLICATION . 7
CHAPTER 1. SPRAY MANAGEMENT PLANS .......................................................................... 9
1.1 TRAINING............................................................................................................ 9
1.2 TIME OF APPLICATION ....................................................................................... 9
1.3 RECORD KEEPING............................................................................................... 9
1.4 EMERGENCY PROCEDURES .............................................................................. 12
Fires............................................................................................................. 12
Spills ............................................................................................................ 12
Poisoning ..................................................................................................... 13
CHAPTER 2. CHEMICAL SELECTION, STORAGE, HANDLING AND DISPOSAL ................... 14
2.1 LABELS ............................................................................................................. 14
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) ............................................................ 20
2.2 FORMULATIONS AND MIXING .......................................................................... 27
Types of Formulation................................................................................... 27
Liquid formulations ..................................................................................... 27
Solid formulations........................................................................................ 29
Other Formulations ..................................................................................... 30
Water quality ............................................................................................... 31
Adjuvants ..................................................................................................... 32
2.3 TRANSPORT ...................................................................................................... 33
Loading ........................................................................................................ 33
Unloading .................................................................................................... 33
2.4 THE STORAGE OF NURSERY CHEMICALS........................................................ 34
Characteristics of a storage facility ............................................................ 34
2.5 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) .................................................. 35
Modes of pesticide contamination ............................................................... 35
Dermal exposure and protection ................................................................. 37
Ingestion ...................................................................................................... 37
Insinuative exposure .................................................................................... 37
Hearing protection....................................................................................... 37
Maintenance of Personal Protective Equipment ......................................... 41
2.6 DISPOSAL .......................................................................................................... 41
Disposing of unused mixed product............................................................. 42
Cleaning spray equipment ........................................................................... 42
Chemical used.............................................................................................. 43
Rinsing Containers ...................................................................................... 44
Pressure Rinsing.......................................................................................... 44
Triple-Rinsing .............................................................................................. 45
2.7 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ....................................................................... 45
Soil contamination ....................................................................................... 46
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 Water contamination ................................................................................... 46
Pesticide degradation .................................................................................. 46
Managing pesticide contaminants in soil and water ................................... 48
2.8 THE LAW AND NURSERY CHEMICALS ........................................................... 49
Disclaimer.................................................................................................... 49
Duty of Care ................................................................................................ 49
Federal Law................................................................................................. 49
State & Territory Law.................................................................................. 50
CHAPTER 3. SUITABLE CONDITIONS FOR PESTICIDE APPLICATION AND MANAGING SPRAY
DRIFT ................................................................................................................................... 52
3.1 MANAGING SPRAY DRIFT ................................................................................ 53
Droplet size.................................................................................................. 53
Droplet Behaviour under Optimum Spraying Conditions ........................... 53
Estimators of droplet size in the droplet cloud............................................ 54
3.2 UNDERSTANDING SPRAY QUALITY CLASSIFICATIONS ................................... 56
What are the BCPC / ASAE S572 Classifications? ..................................... 57
Using the Reference Curves to Understand Nozzle Outputs ....................... 58
Using the BCPC Spray Quality Classifications to Select Nozzles............... 58
Droplet Sizes for Different Targets.............................................................. 59
Nozzle type ................................................................................................... 59
Spray Pressure............................................................................................. 59
Nozzle Spray Angle ...................................................................................... 60
Spray Volume............................................................................................... 60
Application techniques................................................................................. 60
3.3 METEOROLOGY ................................................................................................ 61
Rainfall/Irrigation........................................................................................ 61
Wind Direction............................................................................................. 61
Temperature................................................................................................. 61
Humidity ...................................................................................................... 62
Atmospheric Stability................................................................................... 62
3.6 VEGETATIVE BUFFERS ..................................................................................... 64
Principles of buffers..................................................................................... 64
Planning Guidelines in Queensland ............................................................ 66
Summary ...................................................................................................... 67
CHAPTER 4. PESTICIDE APPLICATION EQUIPMENT AND TECHNIQUES ............................ 68
4.1 SPRAYER TYPES ............................................................................................... 68
High Volume ................................................................................................ 68
Low volume.................................................................................................. 68
Ultra Low volume ........................................................................................ 68
4.2 SPRAYER COMPONENTS ................................................................................... 69
Tank ............................................................................................................. 70
Pump (liquid flow) ....................................................................................... 70
Agitation system........................................................................................... 70
Pressure Regulators and Control Valves .................................................... 71
Filtration System.......................................................................................... 71
Auxiliary equipment..................................................................................... 71
4.3 SPRAYING EQUIPMENT .................................................................................... 72

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 Key to symbols describing spraying equipment........................................... 72
Hydraulic Nozzles ....................................................................................... 73
Hand gun...................................................................................................... 74
Air shear sprayers ........................................................................................ 75
Controlled Droplet Applicators (CDA) ....................................................... 77
Electrostatics................................................................................................ 79
Cold Foggers................................................................................................ 80
Thermal foggers........................................................................................... 81
Wick wipers ................................................................................................. 82
Nozzle holders – Hydraulic Sprayers .......................................................... 83
Hand held nozzles........................................................................................ 83
Boom Sprayers (Vehicle Mounted) ............................................................. 84
Vertical Boom.............................................................................................. 85
Shielded sprayers......................................................................................... 86
Frame / Chassis and Drive .......................................................................... 87
Trailer .......................................................................................................... 87
Tractor 3 point linkage................................................................................. 88
Backpack/Knapsack or Hand held hydraulic sprayer. ................................. 89
CHAPTER 5. CALIBRATION ................................................................................................. 90
5.1 CALIBRATION TECHNIQUE .............................................................................. 91
5.2 HAND HELD SPRAYER CALIBRATION .............................................................. 94
5.3 BOOM SPRAYER CALIBRATION ....................................................................... 95
5.4 CALIBRATION OF MISTERS (+ CDA ) .............................................................. 96
CHAPTER 6. CASE STUDIES................................................................................................ 97
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS........................................................................................................ 109
REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................... 110
APPENDIX 1. CONTACT DETAILS ................................................................................. 112
Disposal of used pesticide containers........................................................ 112
Legislation ................................................................................................. 112
Products & Services .................................................................................. 115
APPENDIX 2. GLOSSARY OF PESTICIDE TERMS .......................................................... 117
Common Abbreviations ............................................................................. 117
Defined terms............................................................................................. 117
APPENDIX 3. PESTICIDE ACTIVITY GROUPS AND STRATEGIES TO AVOID PESTICIDE
RESISTANCE ...................................................................................................................... 121

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 INTRODUCTION
The nursery industry in Australia is very diverse with enterprises ranging from small
owner/operator ventures to large multi million dollar commercial businesses. A wide range
of plant types are grown, from immature seedlings through to fully mature trees. Some
production occurs in glasshouses and shade houses while in other cases stock is grown in
open plan production areas. It is in this range of environments that pesticides need to be
efficiently and safely applied for the management of pests.

The management of pests (insects, pathogens and weeds) is an important part of nursery
operations. A wide range of pest management measures is available including chemical,
biological, varietal and mechanical measures. All available methods should be used within
an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program (eg. as described in the AGRILINK kit and
Field Identification Guide, “Integrated Pest Management in Ornamentals”). Pesticides are a
useful tool for managing pests. The purpose of this manual is to provide information on the
effective and safe application of pesticides as part of an integrated pest-management
strategy for plant nurseries.

The right spray equipment, when correctly used within a well considered pest management
program, is a critical factor in ensuring the success of that program. However consideration
must be given to the type of pest, the mode of action of the pesticide and the environment
in which the pesticide needs to be applied. In nurseries special consideration should be
given to the production environment, the influence of shade structures and irrigation
systems as well as the proximity of neighbours and the workforce.

WHAT IS BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE FOR PESTICIDE

APPLICATION IN THE NURSERY INDUSTRY
WHAT IS BEST PRACTICE?
Best Practice in any Industry is usually described as a process of continual improvement in
how operations are carried out. In the area of pesticide application this means that
individuals and organisations need to assess how appropriate their current operations are
and put into place plans and programs that continuously improve those operations.

WHAT IS THE MANUAL DESIGNED TO DO?

This manual is designed to assist nursery operators in identifying and understanding the
range of pesticide application equipment available and the key issues related to the use of
pesticides in the nursery environment.

To assist the nursery industry in improving the safe and effective application of pesticides
this manual includes information on:

• developing spray management plans,

• general information on the types of pesticides available to them, and their storage,
handling and disposal.

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 • understanding the risks various pesticides may present and the selection and use of
personal protective equipment to manage these risks,
• suitable operating conditions for pesticide application and managing spray drift,
• the advantages and disadvantages of various types of pesticide application
equipment,
• the calibration of pesticide application equipment,
• case studies detailing examples of industry practice and critical comments,
• useful contacts and references

HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL

Each section of the manual provides information on the range of products and techniques
available to nursery operators for the application of pesticides.

Best management practice is about a process of continual improvement. This manual

enables users to examine their practices with a view to improving the safe and effective use
of pesticides in their situation.

Because of the diverse nature of the nursery industry, frequent changes in legislation and
the development of new application equipment, it is impossible to provide examples of
best practice for each of many types of spraying operations that are likely to occur. This
manual contains background information that individual nurseries should consider, so that
they can develop and improve their current practice.

Throughout the various sections of the manual the advantages and disadvantages of a range
of products and techniques are discussed. It is the responsibility of the user to determine
which of these products and techniques may lead to improvement in the safe use of
pesticides.

The following key is used within this manual to indicate: Sprayer type, droplet size,
pesticide types, nursery design, nursery size and expected coverage that may be suitable for
each type of application equipment discussed.

KEY TO SYMBOLS USED IN THIS MANUAL

Sprayer Type Droplet Size Pesticides Nursery Coverage Nursery Size
Design
High Fine & Herbi- Open Spot Small
Volume very fine cides Plan Spray
Low Medium Insecti- Shade Blanket Medium
Volume cides House spray
Ultra Low Coarse Fungi- Glass Large
Volume cides House

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 REQUIREMENTS FOR BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE IN
PESTICIDE APPLICATION
Best practice in the selection and use of pesticides begins with the correct identification of
the TARGET and then the development of a pest management programme, which may
include the use of pesticides. If a pesticide is to be used it must be applied to the right
PLACE at the right TIME with minimal impact on people, beneficial organisms, property
and the environment.

Nursery operators should ask themselves a series of questions before commencing any pest
management program. These include:

1) Has the target been identified correctly?

Before proceeding with the use of any pesticide it is essential to determine the biological
target. For example different application techniques may be required to manage insect
pests, weeds or plant pathogens.

2) Has the most appropriate method or methods of pest management been chosen?

There may be a number of pesticides registered for the management of a single pest in
various industries or locations. Only products that are registered for the particular situation
should be used. The following points must be considered when selecting a pesticide:

• The susceptibility of the target pest

• The susceptibility of non target organisms
• Stability of the product (eg. Is the chemical quickly broken down or does it have an
ongoing or residual activity?)
• Cost of the pesticide & cost of application
• The type of formulation and safety issues
• The logistics (ease of transport, handling and storage)
• The availability of the product of choice
• The shelf life of the product

3) Is the right amount being applied?

The correct dose of pesticide should in most situations be uniformly distributed across the
area to be treated. This can be achieved by using an appropriate application technique with
accurately calibrated equipment. Pesticides should always be applied at the rate specified
on the product label. The label is a legal document, and the label information on usage
conditions and other directions must be followed.

4) Is the product being applied to the right place?

It is common for pesticides to be applied to only a portion of a nursery rather than the
entire area. It is important that these areas are readily identifiable so that the pesticide is
applied at the correct location and accurate records of use can be kept.

7
5) What is the best time to apply the product?

If the product is not applied at the right time the treatment may be ineffective.

Factors that influence the timing of application include:

• The life cycle of the pest. Many products are most effective at certain stages of the
pest lifecycle or stage of plant growth. For example, many insect pests are only
susceptible to certain products during their immature (larval or nymphal) stages.
Similarly many weed species will only be affected by some herbicides while they
are small, actively growing and not experiencing stress.
• The meteorological conditions
• What other activities are occurring in the area
• Staff and bystander locations and re-entry periods

6) Is the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) being used?

Operators should consult the product label and the material safety data sheet (MSDS)
before proceeding with any operation to determine what PPE is required when mixing and
applying the chosen product. An understanding of the principles of safe mixing, loading
and use of pesticides is required. Carrying out a risk assessment will assist in the
identification of hazards and the management of risks.

7) Was the desired outcome acheived?

After every application (once the re-entry period has expired) an assessment of how well
the product performed should be made. This information should be recorded and kept for
future reference along with the data gathered which led to the decision to use the pesticide
treatment.

8) Were there any unexpected outcomes?

Were there any detrimental effects on workers or adjacent areas? IF so were these recorded
and how may they be minimised in the future?

Using this information to implement best management practice in pesticide

application

All of the previous questions should be asked prior to, during and after each pesticide
application. By asking these questions, recording the results and using the information
contained in this manual, the practices and procedures that can assist us in moving towards
best management practice in pesticide application can be implemented.

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 CHAPTER 1. SPRAY MANAGEMENT PLANS
All nursery operations should have a spray management plan including a risk assessment.
This should include areas such as spray operator training, managing other nursery staff so
that they do not come in contact with contaminated stock or spray drift, timing of
application, record keeping and emergency procedures.

1.1 TRAINING
All spray operators involved in the application of nursery chemicals should be qualified
according to relevant state training and accreditation requirements. For example, all spray
operators should have completed a Farm Chemicals Users Course (eg. ChemCert) or other
equivalent recognised chemical application course see Contact Details, page 112.

1.2 TIME OF APPLICATION

Pesticides are most effective when they are applied at the right time. Pests are most
effectively managed with pesticides when they are small or just starting to develop rather
than when they are well advanced. Plants should be monitored or checked regularly for
pests (insects, plant pathogens and weeds) so that pest management activities can be
performed at the right time.

Another factor to consider when deciding when to spray is the presence of other nursery
staff, clients or members of the public. In general it is best to arrange the spraying
operation so that it is undertaken at times when no one else is around. For example this
may be after closing time or on the weekends.

Weather conditions before, during and after application can all influence the timing of the
spray application. Chapter 3 discusses in detail the influence of weather conditions on the
likelihood of spray drift and these factors should be considered while deciding when to
spray.

In general pesticides should not be applied to plants that are stressed due to weather
conditions. For example, the application of pesticides should be avoided during the hottest
part of a summer day or if a frost is present.

1.3 RECORD KEEPING

Spray operators need to keep accurate records of all spraying details. This should be part
of any quality control strategy and is required under state and federal legislation. It is also
mandatory for compliance with codes of practice covering workplace health and safety
requirements.

The spray applicator should maintain up to date records of pesticide usage and spray
operations. The operator should complete a spray report after each and every spray
operation. For example the report should include the date, time, area sprayed, amount and
type of pesticides applied, recorded application rates, crop details, pests present,
operator(s) involved, equipment used, nozzle type, settings (eg. spray pressure) and
meteorological conditions (wind speed and direction, temperature and humidity).

Maintaining accurate records of all pesticides used at the nursery site will assist the
manager in making informed management decisions.

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The information recorded must include:

• Calibration data, including specific nozzle information (type, pressure of

operation/rotation speed, etc.)
• Registered pesticide used, and amount thereof
• Personal protective equipment used and maintenance details of PPE
• Environmental conditions
• Area sprayed - location and size
• Pest/crop description

A sample checklist for spraying operations is given in Table 1. (Page 11)

Another example of a recording system includes the Nursery & Garden Industry Australia
(NGIA) Spray Diary Recording Sheet. This is an electronic form that allows the creation of
a coding system for your nursery spray operations. For example, a shadehouse might be
referred to as “Area 1” and a glasshouse as “Area 2”. You can produce a code for
particular operations, eg. spraying could be S1 and mixing M1.

Figure 1. The Nursery & Garden Industry Australia (NGIA)

Spray Diary Recording Sheet

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Table 1. Sample operational plan – overview checklist
Task Tick Notes
PLANNING – PRE SPRAY
Chemical user Joe Bloggs
Field owner Fred Bloggs
Location √ 6 km SE of Country town
Area to be sprayed, area (hectares) and type √ Bedding Plants
Nature of pest problem √
Are there any alternative methods to spraying √ No
Consult an up to date Awareness Zone Chart √ Yes
Sensitive areas within Awareness Zone √ Vineyard 1 km
Communicate to neighbours √ Yes, by phone 5/7/99
Check user training credentials √ ChemCert® 15/12/98

APPLICATION
Equipment in proper working order and calibrated √ Leak repaired
SPRAY EQUIPMENT √ Hand Gun
NOZZLE TYPE DG 110-03
NOZZLE NUMBER 1
DROPLET SIZE BCPC medium
SETTINGS √
SPRAY PRESSURE (BAR) √ 2 bar
Product label and MSDS read and understood √ Yes
Check wind direction – away from susceptible areas √ Yes
WIND DIRECTION IS (XXX°) :- √ From NE 040°
WINDSPEED IS (KPH) :- √ 10 kph
TEMPERATURE (°C) IS :- √ 27°C
RELATIVE HUMIDITY IS (%) √ 50%
Cloud cover (1/8ths) 2/8
Approximate stability class (unstable, neutral or stable) Neutral
Is a ground surface temperature inversion present? No
Are weather parameters within acceptable limits ? √ Yes
Are you wearing correct PPE for the job √ Yes
DATE 13/13/33
TIME START OF SPRAYING 10.00 hrs
TIME END OF SPRAYING 16.00 hrs
CHEMICAL TYPE(S) √
PRODUCT APPLICATION RATE (L/Ha) 2.5 L/ha
BULK VOLUME RATE (L/Ha) √ 50 L/ha
AMOUNT OF PRODUCT USED 35 L
TREATED AREA (Ha) Ha
IN CROP/OTHER BUFFER USED ? √ 30m boundary
√
POST SPRAY EVALUATION √
Were results satisfactory ? (note numbers controlled/escaped) √ Yes
Could there be any improvements ? √ No
All spray records correct, up to date and stored safely ? √ Yes
Full name of chemical user _______________ Signature _____________ Date ____________

11
 1.4 EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
There are a number of hazards that exist when using registered pesticides. These can
include fires, spills and poisoning. It is important that the nursery has emergency
procedures in place in the event of an incident taking place. It is also important to evaluate
current practice to avoid the occurrence of an emergency. The following section discusses
the areas that should be covered in planning and dealing with emergencies.

A plan for handling emergencies such as spills, accidental contamination of

operators/people and the environment should be developed as part of a Risk Assessment
related to the use of pesticides in the nursery. Completion of a “Managing Farm Safety”
course will assist in understanding and carrying out a risk assessment. This knowledge can
then be used to develop controls to manage the hazards.

N.B. The current AgSafe® manual contains detailed information on emergency procedures
related to pesticide use.

FIRES
Prevention of fires must be a primary consideration when organising the storage of
products on the nursery site. Incompatible products such as flammable chemicals, oxidants
and corrosive products should not be stored next to each other.

A fire management plan may include the following points:

• Raise the alarm and evacuate the premises

• Notify the Fire Brigade and Police
• If it is safe to do so, start fire-fighting operations with on-site equipment suitable for
the purpose (eg. hand-held fire extinguishers). Protective clothing should be worn
• Check that fire-water and spilt product is being contained
• If run-off occurs or there is a danger of exploding containers, consider withdrawing
and allowing the fire to burn out
• Any person experiencing side affects from fire (eg. dizziness) should be placed
under medical care. Remove contaminated clothing
• On completion of activities, equipment and all clothing should be cleaned and a
shower taken by all personnel involved

SPILLS
The guiding principles in clean-up operations following an accidental spill are:

• Isolate the affected area

• Contain the spilled chemical and prevent further contamination
• Decontaminate the affected area with a suitable absorbing medium or other
appropriate means (refer MSDS)
• Dispose of the spill by safely packing the absorbing medium into proper containers

12
At each chemical storage area a Spill Response Equipment Kit suitable for the purpose
should be maintained.

A basic kit to deal with spillage should be kept at the mixing and measuring site.
A spillage kit should consist of:1

• Sand or soil, kitty-litter or vermicultite

• Hydrated lime (several bags)
• Square mouthed shovel/s
• Open drums (20L & 200L) to collect materials
• Bleach (hypochlorite) 20L drum
• Funnels, a broom, banister brush and pan.
•PPE suitable for handling concentrates including; eye protection, gloves, respirator
and disposable foot protection. (ChemCert, 2002).
N.B. Emergency numbers must be clearly displayed at the sites of storage, handling and
mixing.

POISONING
Speed is essential in all cases of poisoning. The speedy removal of the source of
contamination and rapid First Aid implementation and transport to hospital or
doctor may save a life. For information on First Aid read the appropriate label
and/or MSDS. (refer to pages 21-26 for an example)

If a person who has been in direct contact with a pesticide shows signs of poisoning the
following steps should be taken:

• Stop any further exposure to the poison by moving the patient away from the
contaminated area and from the vicinity of agricultural and veterinary chemicals.
Quickly remove any contaminated clothing and wash skin
• Begin First Aid immediately. See Product Label for details
• Call a doctor as quickly as possible but do not abandon the First Aid treatment
• Keep the patient as quiet as possible and complete the First Aid treatment.
• Keep patient warm and comfortable

NOTE: Do not substitute First Aid for professional treatment. First Aid is only to
relieve the patient before medical help is reached. Check for danger to yourself before any
First Aid is attempted.

1
ChemCert Queensland, Learning Guide, 2002.

13
 CHAPTER 2. CHEMICAL SELECTION, STORAGE,
HANDLING AND DISPOSAL
2.1 LABELS
The pesticide label is a legally binding document that has been approved by the Autralian
Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (AVPMA), formerly known as the National
Registration Authority (NRA). It provides sufficient information to allow the safe and
efficient use of the pesticide provided the directions are followed carefully (see Figures 2
& 3). The label lay-out is largely dictated by regulation and will depend on the size of the
pack and the amount of information required to be provided. A minimal design would be a
main panel plus an ancillary panel but there may be two ancillary panels. If this format
provides inadequate space, some information can be printed on a leaflet attached to the
container in which case the leaflet is part of the label.

First and foremost the spray operator must read, understand and adhere to the pesticide
product label prior to any spraying operation.

Figure 2. Typical Label Format of a Pesticide

14
Figure 3. Pesticide Label
Confidor® page one

15
Confidor® page two

16
Confidor® page three

17
Confidor® page four

18
Confidor® page five

19
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET (MSDS)
These documents contain more detailed information about the nature of the product and
it’s safety management in case of an emergency (See example on following pages).
Information in the MSDS includes:

• Identification details (eg. product name & physical description/properties)

• Health hazards (eg. health effects & first aid)
• Precautions for use (eg. personal protection & flammability)
• Safe handling information (eg. storage & transport)
• Other information
• Information on toxicity
• Information on ecological effects

MSDS are available on request at the point of sale and a current MSDS for each product
should be available for users. The MSDS is reviewed by the National Occupational Health
and Safety Council as part of the chemical registration process.

The MSDS provides useful additional information if an emergency occurs, but for it to be
useful three things need to happen;

1. They should be read and understood before an emergency,

2. The MSDS must refer to the actual pesticide formulation being used, and
3. The MSDS must be current and easily available to the applicator.
N.B. An MSDS for each product being stored or used should be available for staff to
read and copies kept in or adjacent to the pesticide storage area.

20
Figure 3. Example Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for Confidor®
Page one

21
Confidor® page two

22
Confidor® page three

23
Confidor® page four

24
Confidor® page five

25
Confidor® page six

26
 2.2 FORMULATIONS AND MIXING
When a pesticide is purchased the product consists of a mixture of components designed to
keep it stable until required for use. They may also assist in its ease of handling and final
effectiveness. The part that is active on target pests is called the active constituent and the
other additives are called inert constituents. These may be liquid or dry but together the
total mixture is a Chemical Formulation. Details of formulations are a commercially
sensitive area as they directly influence the cost of manufacture. Formulations come in
many different forms but in Australia they are expected to have a stable shelf-life of at
least two years.

TYPES OF FORMULATION
Pesticides registered for use in plant nurseries are formulated in a wide variety of ways. It
is not unusual to find the same active constituent available in several different
formulations, each suited to a particular use and target pest situation. Formulations will
vary in the hazards associated with their use, risks to the environment, efficacy in pest
management and cost. Where a choice exists, it is best to select the formulation which
presents the least risk to the spray operator, which may be identified by the Signal
Warning on the Label’s Central Panel. The properties of the active constituent will usually
dictate the choice of formulation that can be used to produce a stable, consistent and
marketable product.

The simplest way to classify pesticide formulations is whether they come as a liquid or a
solid. Within each of these two main categories there are a number of different formulation
types.

Liquid formulations
Liquid formulations (eg. endosulfan) are typically diluted in water to produce the final
spray mix although for some ULV (Ultra Low Volume) applications they may be applied
‘directly from the container’. The amount of formulation added to the sprayer is typically
measured using a graduated cylinder or jug. The following are the general types of liquid
formulations.

Solutions
These are true liquids which contain the active constituent dissolved in either water
(water-based aqueous concentrates) or a solvent that mixes (is miscible to form a liquid
concentrate) with any water that may be added to make up a spray solution. The
advantages and disadvantages of the “carrier” solutions will depend on the solvents used,
the concentration of the active constituent and the type of application equipment used.

Advantages Disadvantages
• They are relatively easy to • The solvent system used may pose phytotoxic risks
measure, handle, transport and under high temperature conditions
store
• The solvent may increase the risk of skin irritation
• They need little agitation once and absorption if accidental operator exposure
mixed for application occurs
• Being liquids, they cause • The solvents may cause equipment deterioration
minimal abrasive wear on spray particularly of washers and seals which may need

27
 equipment especially nozzle frequent replacement to avoid equipment leaks
orifices
• Some solvents employed are highly flammable and
result in the product being classified as a
“Dangerous Good”, with consequent restrictions on
how it may be transported and stored

Emulsifiable Concentrates (ECs).

As the name indicates, ECs contain an emulsifier in the formulation (eg. Endosulfan 350
EC®), which enables the active constituent to be dissolved in an organic solvent and then
spread evenly through the carrier water when a spray solution is made up. The final spray
solution is an emulsion and is usually milky white in colour.

Advantages Disadvantages
• They are relatively easy to • The solvent system used may pose phytotoxic risks
measure, handle, transport under high temperature conditions
and store
• The solvent may increase the risk of skin irritation
• Need little agitation once and absorption if accidental exposure occurs.
mixed for application
• The solvents may cause equipment deterioration
• Being liquids, they cause particularly with washers and seals which may need
minimal abrasive wear on frequent replacement to avoid leaks
spray equipment especially
nozzle orifices • Some solvents employed are highly flammable and
result in the product being classified as a Dangerous
Good, with consequent restrictions on how it may
be transported and stored

Suspension Concentrates (SC’s) or Flowable Concentrates.

This type of formulation (e.g. Confidor 200 SC®) was introduced to try and overcome
some of the handling problems associated with Wettable Powders (WPs) or solid
formulations. In SC’s, the active constituent is milled to a finer size than with WPs and
then packed off as a suspension of fine particles within a liquid, which is then further
diluted, usually with water as the carrier liquid to make up a spray mixture.

Advantages Disadvantages
• Because of the finer particle • The suspension may settle out in storage so packs
size, there is much less chance of SCs must always be shaken vigorously before
of nozzle or filter blockages measuring out the dose required
than with WPs
• There is a limit of about 50% in the
• There is no dust problem when concentration of active that can be incorporated
measuring out without causing stability problems in the
formulation

28
Solid formulations
Solid formulations may range from fine powders to large granules. They typically require a
balance to weigh out the correct amount to add to the spray tank. Some products may come
in small pre-weighed packets that can be used as is or have special pre-calibrated mixing
cylinders specifically for that formulation.

Soluble powders.
As the name indicates, this type of formulation dissolves in water to form a true solution
(eg. ProGibb®).

Advantages Disadvantages
• Easy to store and transport • Avoiding breathing in the powder when
measuring out doses
• Have lower phytotoxicity risks than ECs
• Measuring can be difficult unless pre-
• Can be packed in disposable packages packs are used

Wettable Powders.
WPs are designed to be dispersed in water to form a suspension which is then applied as a
spray (eg. Dithane M-45®). Wettable powders are a convenient way of packing high
concentrations of the active constituent (up to 80% the product) in a stable condition that
has commercial appeal. This advantage (to the Manufacturer) is outweighed by a number
of disadvantages listed below which have lead to a decline in the popularity of WP’s.

Advantages Disadvantages
• Wettable powders are a • Constant agitation in the spray vat is needed to avoid
convenient way of packing uneven dosing caused by particle settlement in the
high concentrations of the spray vat
active ingredient
• The suspended particles are abrasive and can produce
accelerated wear in nozzles and pumps
• The suspended solids can block nozzles and filters
particularly if agitation in the spray tank is inadequate
• Many WPs require careful pre-mixing with a little
water to ensure even dispersion and this process can
be difficult with some alkaline bore waters
• Measuring out by weight can be hazardous unless
pre-packs are used and then the pre-packs have to
coincide with the dose required per tank of spray

Water Dispersible Granules.

This type of formulation is a popular one as developing formulation skills have produced
micro-granules that can carry high concentrations of active ingredient (acceptable with low
toxicity products) (eg. Simagranz®). The actual concentration put into a particular product
will depend on the toxic hazards associated with the active, but concentrations of up to 900
grams/kilogram have been achieved.

29
 Advantages Disadvantages
• Can carry high concentrations of active • A specific order of mixing may be
required when more that one product is
• Avoids the problems of dust generation to be included in a spray solution
• Has pour characteristics like a liquid to • Specific weighing or measuring jugs
make measuring easy may be required for that product
• Fine milling of the base ingredients of
the formulation prior to actual granule
formation ensures no problems with
blockages after dispersal takes place in
the spray vat
• The high concentration means that these
formulations are more efficient to
transport and store

Other Formulations
Granules.
Free flowing Granular formulations have been used for many years as a means of applying
pesticides to manage soil-borne pests or to apply a pesticide in remote areas that depend on
rainfall for later activation.

Some granules are formulated using a polymer matrix that degrades at a predictable rate
releasing small doses of active constituent over an extended period. These are known as
slow or controlled release granules and they were introduced as a means of extending the
period of activity for pesticides with shorter active lives. They are a replacement for the
long lasting organochlorines such as DDT and BHC, which were removed from the
marketplace in 1987. Granules provide a relatively safe means of handling very toxic
pesticides as the formulation involves scattering a small amount of active constituent
through a much larger bulk of inert material, usually clay (e.g. SuSCon Green®).

Advantages Disadvantages
• They are ready to use without mixing and are • They are more expensive than
easy to apply most other formulations in that
the amount of active incorporated
• Application does not involve carrying water, thus is at a lower level per unit weight
reducing soil compression and enabling of the formulated product
application in hard-to-access areas
• They may require soil
• They usually have little or no dust associated incorporation or follow-up rain
with them and therefore present low drift hazard before becoming usefully active
• The application equipment needed to disperse • They may present a hazard to
them is relatively cheap when compared with non-target species especially
hydraulic sprayers birds
• Granules can penetrate foliage to reach the soil • Not adhering to foliage may be a
surface more easily than spray droplets. This can disadvantage
sometimes be an advantage

30
Aerosol Dispensers.
Convenient but usually at a high cost. Hard to control placement of spray fall-out and can
pose high inhalation risks. The formulations often contain a flammable propellant under
pressure which means potential hazards if the container is punctured or incinerated (eg.
White Oil).

Fumigants.
These can be hazardous formulations and they are slowly being phased out of the market
place. They are toxic to a wide range of organisms but often do not discriminate between
pests and beneficial species. They can penetrate target areas very efficiently and usually
only involve a single application. Fumigants are extremely hazardous to use and most
require special training in safe handling, particularly in regard to the use of appropriate
protective equipment. Confining fumigating gases to the desired area of action can
sometimes cause problems (e.g. Methyl Bromide or Choloropicram)

Water Soluble Crystals.

This fairly new formulation is being used for 2, 4-D based products and is packed in water
soluble plastic packaging. These are simply dropped into the spray vat to dissolve in the
carrier and form the spray solution. The user is not exposed to the pesticide at any time,
increasing the safety of the operation.

Microcapsules.
An alternative version of the Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki toxin Cry1A produced in
the cells of genetically modified Pseudomonas fluresecens which are then killed in such a
way that they constitute a rigid capsule for the enclosed insecticidal protein. This is
claimed to improve protection from UV radiation.

WATER QUALITY
The pH of water, which is being used as a carrier for a pesticide, is often overlooked when
considering what factors are important in ensuring the performance of a pesticide. Some
pesticides are susceptible to decomposition (or hydrolysis) in acidic or alkaline water. This
can have a noticeable effect on the degree of pest control obtained because a certain
amount of pesticide will have decomposed before it is actually used. The longer a spray
mix is allowed to stand before use, the greater the decomposition of active ingredient. The
carrier water pH has the ability to reduce the effectiveness of some pesticides in less time
than it takes to spray out the tank mix!

Generally, pesticides are most stable within a pH range of between 4.5 to 7.0, the optimum
being pH 5.0 to 6.0. Some pesticides are not affected by pH and are stable over a wide
range. Usually, decomposition is more rapid with increasing alkalinity. Insecticides,
especially organophosphates, carbamates and synthetic pyrethroids, are generally more
severely affected by alkaline water than fungicides or herbicides. Some pesticides are
incompatible with alkaline materials such as lime sulphur, calcium chloride and bordeaux
mixtures to name a few. If there is any doubt about the compatibility of the pesticides,
consult the product label.

In some cases, only a minor change in the pH is required to cause a significant impact on
the performance of pesticides. Carbaryl, for example, is a common insecticide used in the
nursery industry that is stable in water at pH 5.0. But in water that is at pH 7.0, Carbaryl

31
decomposes by 50 percent (also known as a half-life) in 30 days, and at pH 9.0,
decomposes 50 percent in only 24 hours, cutting its effectiveness greatly.2 To increase
pesticide effectiveness users can take the following steps:

• Do not store and reuse mixed pesticides. Mix and use for each individual job.
• Always read the pesticide label to determine if there are any recommendations for
addressing carrier water pH
• Source information from technical bulletins on products or toll-free numbers that are
listed on the product labels
• Companies that supply buffering agents are also very good sources of information
on pesticide stability and products that should be used in specific situations.

ADJUVANTS
The word adjuvant simply means any substance added to a formulation or spray mix for
the purpose of improving its performance or stability.

There are many different types of adjuvants, including drift retardants, sequestering agents,
synergists, buffers and surfactants. Surfactant is a general term used to describe surface
active agents, which includes adjuvants such as wetting agents, stickers and anti-foaming
agents. Some drift retardants may also be considered surfactants.

Wetting agents.
These are sometimes called spreaders or wetters and are sometimes built into a
formulation as one of its components but in many cases there is a label direction to add a
certain quantity of a wetting agent to the spray solution dependent on the volume being
applied. Wetting agents are designed to lower the surface tension of the liquid being
applied so that instead of resting as a number of individual droplets on the surfaces
targeted, it spreads as an even film with a much larger area of contact. It is important when
adding a wetting agent to a pesticide, to always select a non-ionic wetter unless other types
of wetters (cationic or anionic) are recommended on the pesticide label. Certain spray oils
are registered for use in spray mixes. Care should be taken to follow label directions and
to avoid problems with phytotoxicity by not applying pesticides in the heat of the day in
full sun.

N.B. Always consult the registered label for advice and recommendations about the use of
spray additives.

Synergists.
Chemicals added to a formulation to enhance the performance of the active constituent
although alone they have little or no activity. Examples include piperonyl butoxide added
to some pyrethroid insecticides to improve knock-down of flying insects and ammonium
thiocyanate added to amitrol based herbicides to improve uptake and weed kill.

Buffers.
Chemicals that can alter and maintain the pH of water used as a spray carrier at a different
level to its normal pH. Some chemicals perform more consistently under slightly acidic
conditions and in many places the local water supply is a little alkaline. Acidifying buffers

32
have the ability to lower the pH which would be an advantage with certain organo-
phosphates and assist in reducing antagonism when making up mixtures with glyphosate
(eg. Roundup®).

Sequestering Agents.
These are used in some formulations to overcome the problems caused by hard water
containing excessive amounts of calcium and magnesium salts. In a number of phenoxy
herbicide formulations, EDTA (Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic Acid) is added as it
combines preferentially with the calcium and magnesium present in hard water to form
soluble salts. This prevents any 2,4-D Acid reactions which would produce insoluble
(solid) salts which would fall out of solution.

Stickers.
These assist deposits to resist wash-off by rain and the need for a repeat spray and are often
used as additives to protectant fungicide sprays.

Anti-foaming agents.
These can be useful when recharging spray vats with high pressure water (to save time).
This may cause excess foam production because of wetting agent traces left from the
previous vat load.

2.3 TRANSPORT
Some nursery chemicals are classified as Dangerous Goods (DG), which means they are
subject to the Australian Dangerous Goods Code. With most DG products compliance with
the Code does not become a legal obligation until the loads exceed 1 tonne but with some
the amount can be as low as 250 kg or L. Compliance involves appropriate documentation,
defined responsibilities and vehicle placarding.

If a vehicle is used regularly to transport pesticides it should contain an emergency kit of

appropriate PPE, a dry powder fire extinguisher, a shovel, a broom and a bag of
neutralising agent such as hydrated lime.

LOADING
• Nursery chemicals should never be transported in the same cabin space as people,
pets and food. “Ute it. Don’t Boot it”
• Always check the chemical containers for corrosion and leaks
• Check they have complete labels
• Distribute the load evenly and secure it to prevent movement
• Chemicals in vehicles should never be left unattended

UNLOADING
• Check the load is complete
• Clean up any spillage that may have occurred immediately

33
 2.4 THE STORAGE OF NURSERY CHEMICALS
Chemicals should normally be obtained shortly before expected use. This will keep the
stocks held at a nursery to a minimum and make secure safe storage a straightforward task.

Storage and handling of containers of pesticide requires particular care and attention. This
is an essential part of a safety audit.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A STORAGE FACILITY3

The storage area should be:
• Located a minimum of 10 metres from any dwelling and 15 metres from the
property boundary
• Free of any flood threat or water damage
• Clear of vegetation for 3 metres around the facility
• Constructed of materials resistant to fire
• Have a sealed floor that is bunded to contain any spillage
• Well-ventilated and cool
• Kept locked and secure
• Placarded to make known it’s contents
A storage area should have:
• A reliable water reservoir of clean water for washing and decontamination
• An available emergency shower, preferably fed from a separate storage tank
• The necessary equipment on hand in case of a fire, spill or accidental poisoning
• Stock kept off the floor
• The stock grouped by chemical/type/ADG classifications
• The stock rotated so that unused material is not accumulated
• Space available to store empty containers, prior to disposal

A storage and handling facility that has been well designed has four components:

1. A storage cabinet or room. The storage cabinet or room should be located in

an area that isolates chemical fumes and dust, (ie. from any personnel), with
good ventilation. Many storage lockers are available with good ventilation.
Pesticides should be stored at temperatures between 5ºC and 35ºC.
N.B. Custom built storage sheds with excellent ventilation, built in showers etc.
are available from several manufacturers.
2. A mixing area. The mixing area should contain a work surface and appropriate
measuring equipment. A water supply and sink are needed for chemical
preparations and clean up. A fume hood may be installed over the mixing table
to remove fumes away from workers.

3
Sourced from ChemCert®Queensland, “Learning Guide”, 2002

34
 3. A place to store equipment and records. A separate area or room is
recommended for storing protective clothing, equipment, records and MSDS
sheets.

4. An area for loading and rinsing spray equipment. The loading area can be
part of the mixing area or it can be separate. It should be large enough to hold
the largest sprayer. The purpose of this area is to collect spills while loading
and emptying and an area for washing down the sprayers after use. A drench
shower and eye wash should be located nearby. (Bartok, 1996)

NB. All rinsate and pesticide residues from wash facilities (e.g. basins and shower) must
be prevented from contaminating storm water drains, creeks and streams, the ground
etc. Collect all rinsate and wash-down water and dispose of appropriately. (See p 41:
Disposal)

2.5 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

Pesticides are often toxic to mammals and each product has been evaluated in terms of the
risk posed to humans. This information is found on MSDS sheets for each product and the
recommendations for handling it appear by law on the label of each registered pesticide.
Read both of these documents before choosing suitable personal protective equipment for
the mixing and application of pesticides. Employers are responsible for the protection
of their employees. The employer has a legal duty of care to ensure that workers know
how to use personal protective equipment properly. It is important to identify the potential
hazards and protect against them.

MODES OF PESTICIDE CONTAMINATION

Pesticides present different risks of poisoning depending on the active chemistry and the
carrier. There are several pathways by which pesticides may come into contact with
humans; respiratory (by breathing), dermal (through the skin), ingestion (via the mouth),
and insinuative (through puncture or injection). Each product poses different levels of risk
for each pathway and so planning protection will require consideration of the risk posed by
every pesticide that will be used. MSDS sheets contain information on the risk posed by
each mode of contamination. Different risks may also be posed by various methods of
application and these should be identified by carrying out a risk assessment.

Respiratory exposure and protection4

Contaminants can be breathed in through mouth or nose and are absorbed into tissues via
the lungs. Respiratory hazards take the form of:
“Particulates”
• Dusts – solid particles moved by air
• Mists – liquid droplets suspended in air
• Fumes – thermally generated particles
“Gases and vapours”
• Gases – chemicals that mix with air at room temperature
• Vapours – substances that evaporate from liquids and solids at room
temperature

4
adapted from safety material produced by 3M

35
Respiratory protection is provided through properly fitted face masks that remove
contaminants by filtering them from the airstream breathed by the user.

Protection from particles

“Particulate” filters aim at the removal of material between 0.6 – 2.0 microns in size from
the airstream. They filter the air through fibres that are often electrostatically charged
which attracts contaminants as well as mechanically blocking their movement. Filters clog
over time and should be replaced when breathing through them becomes difficult.

Filters are categorised to match specific groups of contaminants:

Filter type Contaminant
P1 Mechanically generated dusts and mists
P2 Mechanically and thermally generated dust, mist or fume
P3 Highly toxic dust, mist and fumes

Protection from gases and vapours

Gas and vapour filters contain activated charcoal which absorbs organic contaminants and
removes them from the airstream. The charcoal, usually found in plastic cartridges, is
chemically treated to enable it to attract and bind particular chemical groups and so must
be matched to the contaminants expected in the environment where they are used.

Filter type Contaminant

A Organic vapours (solvents)
B+E Acid gases
Form Formaldehyde
G Low vapour sprays (most agricultural pesticides)
K Ammonia

Filter classes
Filters of all kinds come in four classes that describe their capacity i.e. the amount of
contaminant they can remove from air:
Class Aus - low concentration of contaminant for short durations
Class 1 - higher concentrations or longer duration of use
Class 2 “ “ “ “
Class 3 - highest concentration of contaminant or longest duration of use.
Respirator cartridges
The cartridges fitted to respirators usually consists of both a particulate and a gas/vapour
filters. Cartridges containing activated charcoal should be taken off the equipment between
uses and stored in a clean, airtight container (such as a re-sealable plastic bag) to avoid
deterioration through exposure to water and other vapours. They must be replaced when
they are no longer absorbing the gas or vapour, usually apparent when the operator can
detect odours while wearing the equipment. Effectiveness of the equipment can be crudely
tested by applying a drop of strong smelling perfume or nail polish thinner (acetone) to the

36
air intake of the cartridge before use. If this can be detected by the wearer then the
cartridge/s must be replaced.

Powered full helmets

Powered helmets have the advantage of providing filtered air under positive pressure
which increases safety and removes the work of the lungs having to draw in air against
filter resistance as in cartridge respirators. A full helmet is necessary for high-risk
situations and for spray applicators with beards. All powered air purifying respirators
should comply with AS/ NZS 1716-1994 and should be fitted with filters appropriate to the
particular task.

Dermal exposure and protection

Material can be absorbed through the skin, and this is often greatly enhanced by moisture
on the skin such as sweat. Overalls, gloves, boots, aprons, goggles and face shields are
used to mechanically prevent pesticides from reaching the skin. Gloves and boots should
be non-absorbent and without lining so that pesticides do not permanently contaminate
equipment. Overalls need to be washed between uses and should be removed and replaced
if they become visibly wet with spray. Fresh water, soap and showering facilities need to
be available where pesticides are mixed and used so that skin can be cleaned immediately
in the event of contamination. Areas of high blood flow such as eyes, ears, face, head and
groin have increased absorption rates and particular care should be taken in protecting
them. Do note that these are areas are often scratched or rubbed by operators even when
wearing protective gloves which can lead to contamination of otherwise protected areas.

Ingestion
Pesticide material may splash into the mouth, be accidentally eaten, fall onto food or
droplets fall without notice into the mouth and be swallowed. Take care to use a face
shield when mixing pesticide concentrates as splashing can occur.

Insinuative exposure
Puncture wounds e.g. a high pressure spray that breaks the skin or injects material under it
can lead to pesticide exposure. This is more common in glasshouse management than in
most other plant industries due to the use of mechanical foggers.

Hearing protection
Exposure to the noise of mechanical equipment, especially that of small engines such as
are found in foggers, misters, etc. can damage hearing. Ensure that operators and
surrounding staff have suitable ear protection such as expanding foam earplugs or
earmuffs. Consult resellers/manufacturers to determine what equipment is appropriate for
the particular task.

37
 Table 1. Personal Protective Equipment Required for handling pesticides5
Protected Area Equipment Item Comments
Body Overalls Buttoned at the wrist and neck These must be
clean at the start of each day, splash proof and
worn outside the boots.
Apron A full-length plastic apron gives added frontal
protection when mixing concentrates.

Eyes Goggles To give complete eye protection.

Face Face Shield To give protection against face splash.

Feet Footwear Never use absorbent materials such as leather or

material. Use rubber or PVC, preferably with steel
toe cap.
Hands Gloves Chemical-resistant, preferably unlined and elbow
length (eg. Nitril, PVC Gloves).

Head Washable Head covering to prevent scalp/hair exposure.

Cotton Hat,
Overall Hood
Respiratory System Respirator Half or Full Face respirator incorporating a
cartridge filter system. Refer to the Australian
Standards 1715-1994 and 1716-1994 to select the
correct respirator and cartridge).

5
The above icons were sourced from Farnell®, 2001. (See Contact Details, page 95).

38
Table 2 (below) has been provided to illustrate the relative risks associated with various types of pesticides, method of application and choice of
application equipment. Some operations present a much higher risk to people and property than others, for each of the various levels of risk a
range of personal protective equipment has been suggested. In all instances chemical labels should be read fully and adhered to and the MSDS
consulted for further information.
Table 2. Personal Protective Equipment during spraying operations
Choice in Products
Risk Situations Herbicide Insecticide/Fungicide Method of spray Choice of Equipment PPE for Spraying
Open area Eg Glyphosate (S5) Eg.NPV’s, Bt High Volume Shielded sprayer, Overalls, boots,
® ® ®
Low to (Roundup ) (eg. Gemstar , Dipel ) (>200L/ha) Hydraulic boom, goggles,
moderate Knapsack.
Carbaryl (S5), Overalls, gloves,
Shadehouse Eg Fluazifop-P,butyl Mancozeb (S5) Low Volume Hydraulic boom, boots, washable
® ®
Moderate (S6) (eg. Fusillade ) (eg. Dithane/M45 ) (10-200L/ha) Spinning disc (herbi), hat, appropriate
to high airshear respirator (where
indicated on label),
face shield, goggles
Overalls, gloves,
Enclosed Eg Paraquat (S7) Eg Endosulfan (S6) Ultra Low Volume Electrostatics, boots, full-face
®
High to Area (eg. Gramoxone ) (eg. Thiodan®) (<10L/ha) Spinning disc (ulva), respirator (or
very high (glasshouse) Foggers (ULV/CDA) goggles and ½ face
respirator), face
shield, washable
hat, goggles
Overalls, gloves,
Mixing Most pesticides boots, full-face
respirator (or
goggles and ½ face
respirator), face
shield, washable
hat and apron
(The above icons were sourced from Farnell®, Feb 2001. See Contact Details page 102)
39
MAINTENANCE OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
• All PPE should be cleaned as soon as possible after each use. It must not be
contaminated with residues from a previous occasion
• Soaking overalls in a slightly alkaline bleach solution (such as ammonium or
sodium hydroxide) will prevent residues becoming “fixed” in the fabric and
breakdown any Organophosphate or Carbamate pesticide residues that may be
present
• A similar solution may be used to wipe over other items of PPE prior to storage
• It is wise to check all items at this time for wear and tear so that replacements can be
obtained before the next occasion that the equipment is needed
• Respirator cartridges should always be removed and stored in a clean air-tight
container (such as a resealable zip-lock plastic bag) to prevent losing useful life by
diffusion of surrounding air containing vapours through the activated carbon filter
• The usage period of respirator cartridges containing activated charcoal should be
recorded and they should be tested for efficiency regularly by placing a dab of
acetone (nail polish remover) or perfume on the outer side and observing whether
the odour penetrates through the filter
• Care should be taken to service the inhalation and exhalation valves in the body of
cartridge respirators.

• THE SPRAY OPERATOR MUST WEAR

PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AS
RECOMMENDED ON THE LABEL WHEN
MIXING AND APPLYING PESTICIDES

• PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND

EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE CHECKED
BEFORE USE, CLEANED AND CHECKED
AFTER EVERY DAY’S USE AND STORED
IN A CLEAN DRY AREA AWAY FROM
PESITICIDES

NB. Mixing the concentrate when preparing to spray can be the most hazardous time for
the operator.

2.6 DISPOSAL
It is the responsibility of the user to see that wastes such as unused chemicals and empty
containers are disposed of properly. Empty containers can be a hazard to curious children
and animals. Improperly disposed of chemicals can result in water contamination and crop
damage. The current AgSafe manual has further information on this topic.

41
There are services available which can be used to dispose of chemical waste and
containers. Such services include and Drummuster and soon, another industry initiative
“ChemClear”.

The following steps are a guideline when disposing of waste properly:

• Purchase only the required amount of pesticide needed for one season to avoid the
disposal problems associated with excess product
• Always read the label for disposal instructions
• Wear the appropriate protective clothing during the disposal of any unwanted
pesticide or pesticide mixture
• Treat contaminated clothing and protective equipment, contaminated soil or
materials used to clean up spills in the same manner as nursery chemical waste. The
current AgSafe manual contains more information on this topic.
• Use accredited disposal schemes such as DRUMMUSTER® where available Note:
The label must remain on the container at all times.

Drum muster
Drummuster is the national program for the collection and recycling of empty, cleaned,
non-returnable crop production and on-farm animal health pesticide containers. Containers
will be inspected for visible signs of pesticide residue or any liquid before being accepted
for re-use or recycling. For the Drummuster website address and your State Regional Field
Officer details see Contact Details, page 102 (DrumMUSTER, 2002).

DISPOSING OF UNUSED MIXED PRODUCT

Small amounts of excess pesticide mixture is frequently left at the end of an application,
and is also created when rinsing spray tanks, or rinsing empty pesticide containers. This
material must be disposed of properly. Check pesticide MSDS for specific risks of
contamination. This material must never be allowed to enter streams or drainage from the
property! Excess spray can be disposed of by spraying over the crop although care should
be taken that authorised rates of application are not exceeded by the addition of this
application to the treatment previously applied. Alternatively a mulched area might be
used with the same provision concerning registered rates of application per area.

Areas where mixing and cleaning of equipment are performed create risks of pesticide
spillage. They should be bunded to prevent run-off or drainage to watercourses and
suitable materials kept nearby for the neutralisation of spilled material. Wash water
collected from this area must be retained to allow breakdown of pesticides.

CLEANING SPRAY EQUIPMENT

Rinsing
Spraying equipment should be cleaned in the same manner as pesticide containers to
remove spray residues which may clog equipment or present a safety hazard. This should
be performed directly after use to prevent drying or caking which may be difficult to
remove later. The inside of the spray tank must be rinsed out and the rinsate run out
through the nozzles or other applicator until the tank is empty. This should be repeated at
least twice and the outside of the equipment inspected for visible residues.

42
Neutralising
Plastic and fibreglass spray tanks and the plastic spray lines absorb trace quantities of
pesticides during use. This can later create hazardous vapours or contaminate spray mixes
of other materials. This can create risks for operators and target plants depending on the
pesticides used. Ideally use separate spray tanks for groups of pesticides used i.e.
herbicides, insecticides and fungicides, or members within these categories used for
different management activities. Consulting the records of pesticides previously applied
with equipment can avoid expensive mistakes damaging sensitive crops or endangering
staff.

While separate equipment may be an option for the largest plant nurseries, most operators
will desire to neutralise the residues in equipment from time to time so that they can safely
use it for a variety of purposes.

Table 3: Recommendations for use of cleaning agents6

Cleaning agent per 100 Instructions
CHEMICAL USED litres water
All herbicides Commercial cleaning Follow directions of cleaning agent label
agent

Phenoxy herbicides (2,4- 1 –2 litres household Thoroughly agitate, flush small amount through
D, Dicamba, MCPA etc) ammonia per 100 litres system and let remainder stand in sprayer
– salt and amine water overnight. Flush and rinse with clean water several
formulations. times before use.

Small traces of 2,4-D or Same as above but let stand for at least 2 hours
can damage sensitive 500g washing soda
plants. Preferably do not
or
use the same sprayer to
1kg trisodium phosphate Same as above but let stand for at least 2 hours.
apply other chemicals to
per 100 litres water
sensitive plants. Hoses
may need to be replaced or
250g fine activated Make a sudsy solution. Agitate, operate sprayer
charcoal and half a cup of for 2 minutes, let remainder stand for 10 minutes,
detergent (liquid or then flush through sprayer. Rinse.
powder) per 100 litres
water
Phenoxy herbicides – 500g washing soda + 4 Rinse inside of tank and flush small amount
ester formulations litres kerosene + 125g through system. Let stand for at least 2 hours.
powder detergent. Flush and rinse.
Sulfonylurea herbicides 500ml sodium Flush through the boom for at least 10min.
hypochlorite (chlorine) including spraying out the jets. Make sure all
bleach (6% solution) spray lines, filters etc are well cleaned. Rinse out.
Repeat the operation for at least another 10 min.
Allow the sprayer to stand for at least 12 hours.
Other herbicides 125g powder or liquid Rinse with clean water afterwards.
detergent to make a sudsy
solution
Insecticides and 125g powder or liquid Rinse with clean water afterwards.
fungicides detergent to make a sudsy Organophosphate and carbamate insecticide may

6
Source: Chandlers IAMA, Hardi International, format based on Chemcert, Spray Application and Risk
Management in Vineyards, 2003.

43
 solution be detoxified by adding household ammonia to the
cleaning solution at 1L per 100L.

RINSING CONTAINERS
Rinsing and cleaning containers are the first steps in proper disposal. State laws require
users to follow label instructions that specify that containers must be rinsed. Local Shire
and Municipal Councils will only accept properly rinsed and cleaned containers at their
approved refuse landfills, after inspection of the containers. Under current regulations in
most states, containers that have not been properly rinsed can be classified as hazardous
wastes7.

Containers should be rinsed directly after finishing their contents as residues are more
difficult to remove when dry. Proper rinsing of nearly all types of pesticide containers will
remove more than 99% of any pesticide residue remaining in the container after it has been
emptied. Rinsing into the spray tank also conserves valuable pesticide.

Two commonly used procedures are effective for proper rinsing of pesticide containers:
pressure-rinsing and triple-rinsing. Clean water must always be used to rinse containers.
Pressure Rinsing
Some spray equipment manufacturers supply a special rinsing attachment that enables
drums and bags to be rinsed using a pressure nozzle. This method is generally faster and
easier to carry out than triple-rinsing (Agsafe, 1999). There are two basic forms, the
“piercing nozzle”, which makes it’s own hole and is inserted into the bottom or side of the
container. In this case the rinsate flows out through the regular opening. There are also
“sucker-flusher” probes, which enter through the normal aperture and suck fluid from the
bottom of the container while spraying pressurised water from nozzles on the side of the
probe back from the head.

The steps to follow are:

1. Remove the cap from the container. Empty contents into the tank and allow to drain
for an extra 30 seconds after the flow reduce to drops.
2. For Piercing nozzles, insert the pressure nozzle by puncturing through the lower
side of the container. Do not however puncture plastic containers (such as 20 litre
drums) if they are part of a manufacturer’s re-use programme, these should be triple
rinsed. For sucker-flusher probes, insert through the regular opening and do not
invert the container (i.e. ignore step 3)
3. Hold the container upside down over the sprayer tank so the rinsate will run into
the sprayer tank.
4. Turn the water on and rinse for the length of time recommended by the
manufacturer (normally at least 30 seconds) or until the rinsate coming from the
container is clear. Move the nozzle or probe about so that the stream of water
reaches all parts of the container to rinse all inside surfaces.
5. Rinse the container cap when there is a clear stream of water coming out of the
container or alternatively, rinse separately in a bucket of water and pour this into
the spray tank.

7
Drum Muster, Effective Rinsing of Farm Chemical Containers, 2002.

44
 6. Check the container thread and outside of the container and, if contaminated, rinse
with a hose into the spray tank.
7. Look inside the container to ensure that thorough cleaning has occurred.
8. Let the container dry completely (this may take several days) and replace the cap.
9. Store containers where they can remain clean and dry until they can be taken to a
collection/disposal site.

Triple-Rinsing
Triple Rinsing is a three-stage manual rinsing process, involving the following steps:

1. Remove the cap from the container.

2. Empty the contents into the spray tank and allow the container to drain for an extra
30 seconds after the flow reduces to drops.
3. Fill the container with water to between 20% and 25% of its capacity.
4. Replace the cap securely.
5. Shake, rotate, roll or invert the container vigorously for at least 30 seconds, so that
the rinse reaches all inside surfaces. For 200 litre drums, rolling between two
people is advised.
6. Remove the cap. Add the rinsate from the container into the sprayer tank. Let it
drain for an extra 30 seconds after the flow reduces to drops.
7. Repeat steps 3 to 6, two more times.
8. Check the container thread and outside of the container and if contaminated rinse
with a hose into the spray tank.
9. Look inside the container to ensure it is thoroughly clean.
10. Wash the cap.
11. Let the container dry completely (this may take several days) and then replace the
cap.
12. Store containers where they can remain clean and dry until they can be taken to a
collection/disposal site.

2.7 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Any pesticide material that does not reach or remain on the target may cause pollution of
atmosphere, water and soil. These are important natural resources and operators have a
legal responsibility to avoid contaminating them. Potential sources of pesticide pollution
include:
• Drift of droplets in air away from the target area
• Pesticide transported by water from the target area:
- Leaf run-off due to excess spray volume or overly large droplets
- Irrigation or rainfall on recently sprayed areas
• Droplets falling on soil where there is incomplete canopy cover by target foliage
• Rinsate from equipment washing and spray mixing

45
 • Leaching from pesticide treated potting mixture

SOIL CONTAMINATION
Pesticides contacting the soil may be adsorbed on soil minerals and organic matter or
remain in a soluble form that can be moved by water. Contaminants may leach into the
water directly or may be carried on soil particles, particularly during storms and irrigation.
Contaminated soil also creates hazards through direct skin exposure to the soil, inhalation
of pesticide in dust or vapours moving into the air. Persistent pesticide contamination in
soil can move into the surrounding environment over time thus creating an ongoing source
of pollution.

WATER CONTAMINATION
Water rapidly spreads pollution through the environment. Pesticides can remain active
even at very low concentrations creating adverse impacts on environmental and
community health. Many pesticides are toxic to mammals and pose a direct health hazard.
Water in populated areas is tested regularly for contamination and the likelihood of poor
management being identified and prosecuted is high. Further, many birds and aquatic life
forms e.g. fish and crustaceans are extraordinarily sensitive to insecticides and herbicides.
Pesticide pollution exposes operators to prosecution under state laws governing
environmental protection.

Pesticide residues can also be carried by water to the water table. These contaminants are
no longer exposed to the normal biological and physical factors such as micro-organisms,
heat, light, and air that degrade pesticides. Thus, groundwater contamination can be very
persistent.

PESTICIDE DEGRADATION
While pesticides may have a shelf life of two or more years in storage as concentrated
form, dilute sprays in the natural environment are expected to degrade more swiftly. This
is a major consideration in the creation of product advisory information during registration!

Factors that increase breakdown of pesticide molecules:

• Exposure to direct sunlight (UV)
• Soil and plant micro-organisms
• High temperature
• Filtering, through sand, vegetation, or organic matter
• Aeration (if in water)
• Plant metabolism

The table on the following page contains data on the breakdown and persistence of some
pesticides in the environment. While this illustrates the general differences between types
of chemical actual performance will depend strongly on soil type, water quality and other
environmental factors.

46
Table 4. From “Best Management Practices for Agricultural Pesticide Use –
Colorado State University, USA.

47
MANAGING PESTICIDE CONTAMINANTS IN SOIL AND WATER
Assess the pathway of drainage water from areas of pesticide application. What are the
sensitive targets in the downstream environment? Consult MSDS to determine the specific
risks contributed by each pesticide, including all soil and potting-mix treatments. What
flows of water are expected under normal operation and during floods?

Due to their intense management of production areas, nurseries are more able to manage
water than most other plant industries. When designing drainage for a production area
consider ways to maximise the factors that increase pesticide degradation. For example; if
soil is well drained, seal the floor of the production area with plastic sheet under gravel to
prevent water travelling down into the soil profile. Expose water leaving the target area to
unpasteurised soil, sunlight and ideally filter it slowly through a sand bed. If water can be
collected, do so in shallow aerated ponds, with reeds or other water plants. If water is
otherwise of suitable quality, it may be economical to treat it and recycle it for re-use as
irrigation water which further decreases risks posed to the surrounding community.

The quality of water leaving commercial properties is likely to come under increasing
scrutiny in the near future, and careful planning of growing areas now may help to avoid
costly liability later.

To reduce the risk of soil and water pollution with pesticides:

• Plan to leave most spray on the target:

Avoid run-off, don’t over-spray or use the largest droplet sizes which can
roll off leaves

Avoid drift from the target area
• Ensure the correct rate per area or concentration is being applied at the correct
frequency and use properly calibrated equipment
• If soil is naturally well drained, use an impermeable layer under the prodution area
to avoid groundwater contamination and consider recycling run-off to filters, ponds
etc.
• Prevent erosion of soil that may receive spray.
• Pesticide treated potting soil is contaminated, do not allow water to run through it
and then to waste. Reuse or allow it to break down where it cannot drain into an
uncontrolled waterway. Drainage systems should be designed to collect and hold
run-off water on site.

48
 2.8 THE LAW AND NURSERY CHEMICALS
Laws exist at both federal and state level to regulate the use of pesticides. These are aimed
at ensuring the safety of operators, the environment and the community. In general,
responsibility for pesticides prior to the point of sale is regulated by Commonwealth
legislation and the responsibility for transport, storage and application after sale is
regulated by separate legislation in each state and territory.

DISCLAIMER
This manual attempts only to outline the areas of legislation concerned with pesticide
management and does not seek to provide information on the specific laws or their
application in the states and territories of Australia. Laws and practices vary between
states, as do the application of some federal standards. These are subject to constant
revision and up to date information should be sought for each inquiry. To ensure you are
aware of the ACTS and REGULATIONS that may affect the way you operate, contact
your State Nursery Industry Development Officer for more details.

Other reliable sources of information include:

• Commonwealth or State / Territory Departments of Agriculture, Primary Industries
or Lands or Environment.
• Certified agricultural safety trainers e.g. Chemcert etc.

See Contact Details, on pages 112-114 details to obtain further information on

agricultural pesticide use legislation for each state in Australia.

DUTY OF CARE
People handling pesticides and those who employ them have a duty of care to comply with
all safety requirements of storage, handling and use. Duty of care legislation in contract or
common law covers acts or omissions that cause harm. It is the responsibility of
workplace managers to ensure safe practice and they are directly responsible for
compliance of employees in the workplace. They are also responsible for the safety of all
equipment used, employee protection from exposure to risk and protection of the
environment.

FEDERAL LAW
Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicines Authority
For a pesticide to be sold or legally used in a nursery in Australia it must be registered by
the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), previously known
as the National Registration Authority (NRA). The APVMA examines each product in the
areas of:
• Human toxicology
• Environmental impact
• Occupational health
• Efficacy
The APVMA invites public comment before granting clearance or otherwise. It may also
administer “Minor Use”, “Permit” and “Off-Label” schemes, usually in conjunction with

49
relevant State Departments, to supervise small market uses not large enough to support the
cost of generating normal data submission packages and label extensions.

National Standards
Australian Standards exist for storage and handling pesticides. Each state has legislation
that covers these areas and recognition and application of the national standards varies
widely between states. The current relevant Australian Standards are:
AS 1940 (1993) Flammable and Combustible
AS 2507 (1998) Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals
AS 4452 (1997) Toxic Substances
AS 3833 (1998) Mixed Dangerous Goods

STATE & TERRITORY LAW

Once clearance has been given for sales to proceed, the pesticide is subject to the
legislation managed by each State. This involves a number of different legal Acts with
their accompanying Regulations. In some cases the formal legislation is supported by
“Codes of Practice” or “Compliance Guidelines” which are documents designed to assist in
understanding what the law requires.

It is important that nursery operators are aware of the regulations that may affect or limit
the types of operations they may wish to carry out in each state or territory. The current
Agsafe Accreditation Training Manual provides an excellent summary of this area on a
state by state basis.8

Examples of SOME areas where legislation relating to the nursery industry exists:
• The use of particular pesticides, and how they may be applied
• The operation of particular pieces of equipment, and where they may be operated
• Workplace health and safety regulations and who may apply pesticides
• Health Acts and Regulations, determining how and where pesticides may be stored,
used and disposed of
• Environmental Protection Acts – encompassing water, air and noise management
• Noise Pollution Regulations for powered equipment, and
• Numerous others, depending on the location of the nursery

8
Barret, M. , Boldra, C., Chalmers, I., Henderson, R., and Keighly, V. Agsafe Accreditation Training
Manual. Canberra: Agsafe Limited, 2002.

50
Occupational Health and Safety Legislation
There is also considerable legislation that regulates pesticide use even though not directly
addressing it. Of particular interest for managers and operators are laws concerning
occupational health and safety. These laws generally cover:
• Identification of hazards
• Risk management
• Risk reporting
• Activities in the workplace
• Emergency response (safety, first aid, spill management)
• Facilities
• Personal protective equipment
• Hazardous substances
• Training monitoring and records

Workplace managers are directly responsible for employee compliance to these laws.

Table 5. Occupational health and safety legislation in Australian States

State/territory Acts and Regulations
Australian Capital Occupational Health and Safety Bill, 1989.
Territory
New South Wales Occupational Health and Safety Act, 2000.
Occupational Health and Safety of Hazardous Substances
Regulation, 2001.
Northern Territory Work Health Act, 2001.
Work Health – Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2001.
Queensland Workplace Health and Safety Act, 1989.
Workplace Health and Safety Regulations, 1995.
South Australia Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Act, 1986.
Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations, 1995.
Tasmania Workplace Health and Safety Act. 1995.
Workplace Health and Safety Regulations, 1999.
Victoria Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1995.
Western Australia Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Act, 1984.

51
 CHAPTER 3. SUITABLE CONDITIONS FOR PESTICIDE
APPLICATION AND MANAGING SPRAY DRIFT
Spray drift is a major consideration in relation to the safe use of pesticides.

Spray drift is the movement of a pesticide (as droplets in the air) outside the intended target
area. This off target movement of pesticide has the potential for injury or damage to
humans, plants, animals, the environment or property.

Spray drift does not include off target movement of a chemical due to post spray
volatilisation or movement in water, soil or organisms although this chemical movement
can also be very damaging.

It is recognised that nearly all spray application of pesticide results in some spray drift,
however if uncontrolled and excessive, spray drift can cause:

• damage to crops in neighbouring areas

• contamination of neighbouring crops resulting in illegal residues on produce
• loss of expensive chemical and reduced efficacy on target pests
• death of beneficial organisms such as bees, and predators and parasites of pest
organisms
• environmental contamination
• adverse publicity and community concern

Spray drift is usually the result of:

• spraying in unsuitable weather conditions

• using spray equipment inappropriately (i.e. use inconsistent with manufacturer’s
instructions/training guidelines)
• using an unsuitable (eg. unregistered, unapproved) pesticide formulation for a
particular use or in a particular area
• failing to identify and allowing spray to drift onto susceptible non target areas
• using a droplet size that is too small

In plant nursery operations drift can occur internally to other parts of the nursery (eg.
neighbouring plants or areas where other staff are working) or externally to the nursery
(eg. neighbouring houses or fields). It is important to consider the potential for both
internal and external drift before undertaking the application of pesticides.

52
 3.1 MANAGING SPRAY DRIFT
There are four main methods that can be used for reducing spray drift in the nursery. These
are:
1. Droplet size control when applying sprays or use of solid formulations such as
granules
2. Use of the appropriate application techniques
3. Selection of correct meteorological conditions
4. Use of buffer zones (including vegetative and artificial structures)

DROPLET SIZE
Droplet size is probably the single most important factor in managing potential pesticide
spray drift. Because large droplets fall towards the ground significantly faster than small
droplets, the airborne transport of droplets is significantly reduced if small droplet
production is kept low.

Droplets used for spraying pesticides are small! Droplets are measured in micrometres
(µm). It is easy to refer to droplets of 10, 100, or 500µm forgetting that 10µm and even
100µm droplets may not be visible to the naked eye.

As an example, the full stop at the end of this sentence is approximately 300 µm in
diameter. A micrometre is 1/1000 of a millimetre (mm) and thus a 500 µm droplet is half a
millimetre in diameter. A 500 µm diameter droplet is considered a large droplet in spray
application technology.

Droplet Behaviour under Optimum Spraying Conditions

In general terms we can say that droplets in the following size ranges will behave as
described below:

Approximate Droplet Size Expected behaviour under suitable

(microns) spraying conditions

Less than 50 microns If water based, will evaporate quickly and will
typically be lost before reaching the target.

Droplets 50 to 150 microns Will move with air movement (wind), and
may move off-target. However, if managed
well under good spraying conditions, they can
improve target penetration and coverage.

Droplets less than 200 microns Considered ‘driftable’ because they may
reduce in size due to evaporation (if water
based), and hence move with the wind.

Droplets over 350 microns May bounce or runoff without the addition of
adjuvants, hence may not be useful for
spraying foliage.

53
Droplets between 100 and 350 microns are considered the MOST USEABLE fraction of
the spray cloud when spraying foliage (eg. useful for many insecticide sprays).

ESTIMATORS OF DROPLET SIZE IN THE DROPLET CLOUD

Unfortunately no practical spray nozzles currently available produces droplets that are all
the same size. All commercial nozzles generate a range of droplet sizes. It is therefore
difficult to exactly describe the output from a spray nozzle in terms of droplet size
produced. Some pesticide labels describe the droplet size to be used by an applicator in
terms of the Volume Median Diameter (VMD).

The VMD divides the droplet spectrum into two equal parts. One half of the total spray
volume is made up of droplets larger than the VMD and the other half made up of droplets
smaller than the VMD. A diagrammatic representation of VMD is shown in Figure 4. If
droplets from a spray nozzle could be lined up in order of size the VMD indicates the
droplet size that would divide the sample in half by volume.

Figure 4. Illustration of the Volume Median Diameter (VMD)

~ 50% by volume VMD ~ 50 % by volume

Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο ΟΟΟΟΟΟΟΟΟ ΟΟΟΟΟ
Two different nozzles may produce the same VMD but may actually produce quite a
different droplet cloud. One nozzle may produce droplets that all fall in a very narrow band
around the VMD while the other nozzle may produce a broad spectrum of droplet sizes.

Most hydraulic nozzle manufacturers catalogues now indicate droplet size produced using
the spray quality categories of very fine (the smallest), fine, medium, coarse, and very
coarse (the largest). Refer to table 6 on page 56 for the designation of droplet size ranges
in microns. An example from the Spraying Systems catalogue is shown in Figure 5
overleaf. This scheme of describing droplet size was originally devised by the British Crop
Protection Council (BCPC) during the mid 1980’s as a means of standardising the
relationship between a variety of measurement systems and describing the entire droplet
spectrum generated by a spray nozzle. Currently air induction nozzles are not included in
the classification scheme. To reduce drift select nozzles and pressure settings that produce
a coarse or very coarse spray.

54
Figure 5. BCPC classification scheme used to define Spray quality by Spraying
Systems (F=fine, M=medium, C=coarse, VC=very coarse)

55
 3.2 UNDERSTANDING SPRAY QUALITY CLASSIFICATIONS
A number of nozzle manufacturers provide information on the spray quality produced by
their hydraulic nozzles (for ground application) at various pressures according to the
British Crop Protection Council (BCPC) and American Society of Agricultural Engineers
(ASAE S572) standards.

Table 6. BCPC droplet categories, average sizing and potential uses

BCPC Category VMD of droplet cloud Potential uses.
Very fine (VF) less than 119µm (microns) insecticide
Fine (F) 120 – 216 µm fungicide
Medium (M) 217 – 353 µm herbicide/insecticide
Coarse (C) 354 – 464 µm herbicide
Very Coarse (VC) larger than 464 µm herbicide

An example of the use of these classifications is provided below, which is an excerpt from
the Spraying Systems TeeJet® catalogue.

Figure 6. Spray Qualities at various pressures for XR nozzles (V=very fine,

F=fine, M=medium, C=coarse)

N.B. With hydraulic nozzles it is possible for one type of nozzle to produce a range of
spray qualities depending on the pressure of operation. The higher the pressure, the smaller
the droplets produced will be, hence the finer the spray quality it is assigned.

56
WHAT ARE THE BCPC / ASAE S572 CLASSIFICATIONS?
The BCPC / ASAE S572 classifications describe spray quality (the range of droplet sizes
produced by a nozzle). This spray quality is determined by comparing a nozzle’s output of
different sized droplets (droplet spectrum) at a given pressure against the outputs of a set of
standard reference nozzles. This is done using a laser based instrument and due to the
comparative nature of the standard, nozzles will achieve the same classification regardless
of testing technique.

There are three (3) key measurements in determining the spray quality classification. These
describe the proportion of volume through the nozzle resulting in different size categories.

D[v,0.1] = 10% of the spray volume produced by the nozzle results in droplets smaller
than this size (diameter in microns).
D[v,0.5] = Also known as the Volume Mean Diameter (VMD). 50% of the spray
volume produced by the nozzle is in droplets smaller than this size
(diameter in microns). 50% of the spray volume is in droplets larger than
this size.
D[v,0.9] = 90% of the spray volume produced by the nozzle is in droplets smaller
than this size (by diameter in microns).

These three measurements are plotted on a graph to produce boundaries for each spray
quality classification. A reference curve from a Malvern laser instrument as shown below,
is used for this purpose.

Figure 7. Example of BCPC Reference Curves Used to Determine Spray Quality

Reference Curves - C-PAS Wind Tunnel

850
800
750
Droplet Size (microns)

700
650 VC
600
550 C
500
450
400 M
350
300 F
250
200
150
100 VF
50
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
Cumulative Volume Fraction

Cumulative volume fraction is the proportion of the spray volume that exists in
Droplets smaller than a particular size (microns). For example 0.1 is the D[v,0.1],
0.5 is the D[v,0.5] also known as the VMD and 0.9 is the D[v,0.9].

57
 USING THE REFERENCE CURVES TO UNDERSTAND NOZZLE OUTPUTS
By using the reference curves in conjunction with the spray quality classifications nozzle
outputs can be better understood.
For example a nozzle that has
been assigned a FINE spray
quality will produce droplet
sizes within a particular range.
Re fe re nc e Curve s - C- P AS Wind Tunne l
This shows that a fine nozzle will
850
have a D[v,0.1] between 60 microns 800
750

Droplet Size (m icrons)

and 100 microns. This means that 700
650
10% of the spray volume is in smaller 600 VC
550 C
droplets than these sizes. 500
450
A fine nozzle will also have a D[v,0.5] 400
350
M
or VMD between 131 microns and 300
250
F
239 microns. Where a particular 200
150
nozzle can produce a FINE spray 100
50
VF
quality at a range of spray pressures, 0
the droplet sizes produced will be 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

largest when operated at the lowest Cum ulative Volum e Fraction

pressure required to stay within the
FINE classification (towards 239
microns).

If the nozzle is operated at the highest possible pressure to stay within a FINE spray quality
the droplet sizes produced will be smaller. It is possible that the VMD could be as small as
131 microns.

By understanding how droplets of various sizes behave in differing conditions the

reference charts can be used to estimate the spread of droplet sizes produced when
operating nozzles to deliver spray. Pesticide applications can be better planned using this
information.

USING THE BCPC SPRAY QUALITY CLASSIFICATIONS TO SELECT NOZZLES

When selecting a nozzle for a particular purpose, an understanding of what the
classifications mean in terms of the types of droplets each classification includes is
required. The behaviour of various droplet sizes can then be used to select the appropriate
nozzle for particular situations. For example, in a situation where drift would be of
particular concern, it is important that after determining the desired droplet size for the
target (which should be close to the VMD) a nozzle is selected with the largest possible
size of “fine” droplets D [v,0.1].

58
DROPLET SIZES FOR DIFFERENT TARGETS
Regardless of the target, the objective should be to obtain the best coverage possible while
minimising the off target losses such as drift or run-off, as much as practically possible.
The understanding of the droplet sizes required for different targets is gradually improving.
Recommendations for the application of different pesticides onto different targets are
continually being developed so it is important to monitor this progress closely.

Label instructions need to be followed for the correct application of particular product
types. Where this information is not provided the following general principles can be
applied.

Product Types Spray Classification Comment

Insecticides
Contact Fine - Medium If using the finer end of the droplet spectrum.
Systemic Fine - Medium If using medium, stay at the finer end.

Fungicides
Protectant Very Fine - Fine Be aware of droplet spectrum and
evaporation.
Curative/eradicant Fine - Medium If using medium stay at the finer end.

Herbicides
Soil Applied Coarse Use appropriate water volumes to ensure
coverage.
Contact Medium Medium preferred where conditions allow..
Systemic Medium - Coarse Use at the coarse end & monitor conditions

NOZZLE TYPE
An important factor when considering spray drift is nozzle selection. It is well known that
spray drift can be minimised - and spray efficiency maximised – by selecting an
appropriate nozzle for a spray job. Most pesticide labels do not recommend a specific
nozzle for a particular job. However the BCPC categories (very fine; fine; medium; coarse;
very coarse and ultra coarse) enable the spray performance of most common hydraulic
systems to be characterised. The system allows applicators more choice in selecting a
nozzle type, size and pressure for a particular task – provided the combination that was
selected produces the droplet size that falls within the specified category. Note in the
example shown in Figure 5 that the droplet size generated by a Spraying Systems Turbo
TeeJet increases as orifice size is increased and spray pressure is reduced.

SPRAY PRESSURE
Spray pressure should be as low as possible, consistent with nozzle
specifications and coverage requirements. Check the
manufacturer’s nozzle catalogues for recommended pressure of
operation.

When the pressure at the nozzle is increased, most hydraulic

nozzles generate a finer droplet spectrum. To reduce drift
potential, low pressures should be used. Many nozzle manufactures
now provide Low Pressure nozzles that can be operated as low as

59
100 kPa (kiloPascals). (100kPa = 1 bar = 15 psi). This will be
marked on the nozzle with the other specifications as “LP”.

Note well:
• Spray volume should be controlled by changing nozzles not
by changing pressure, ie. Selecting nozzles with a greater
throughput to increase volume.
• All sprayers should be fitted with an accurate, easy to read
pressure gauge.

NOZZLE SPRAY ANGLE

A flat fan nozzle that has a wider spray angle will normally produce a thinner sheet of
spray solution, which results in smaller droplets than will be produced by a narrower angle
nozzle operating at the same pressure. For example a 110° flat fan can normally be
expected to generate a finer droplet spectrum than an 80° flat fan operated at the same
pressure with the same orifice size (and flow rate). In terms of drift control, the benefits of
a lower nozzle height provided by a wide-angle nozzle, can outweigh the disadvantages
associated with smaller droplet spectrum produced due to the wider angle nozzle.

SPRAY VOLUME
A larger nozzle orifice increases the droplet size when operated at the same pressure as a
smaller nozzle orifice. It will also increase the rate of flow and thus the amount of spray
used per unit of time. This results in the use of more carrier fluid per area at the same
speed of application, and the concentration of pesticide should be lowered accordingly.

APPLICATION TECHNIQUES
Release height
Release height of the spray is an important factor which influences the potential for spray
drift. The higher droplets are released, the greater the potential for drift.
Release height of sprays should be as low as
possible, consistent with nozzle specifications and
target coverage requirements.

When boom sprayers are fitted with flat fan nozzles,

h
boom height should not exceed the optimum height
as specified by the nozzle manufacturer.
The height (h) required to sufficiently overlap of spray patterns varies depends on the angle
of spray emission, e.g. 80°, 110° etc. for the nozzles. With most 110° flat fan nozzles, a
minimum height of 35 cm, and a maximum of 50 cm above the target, is usually
recommended.

Boom stability
On boom sprayers adequate boom stabilisation is essential to prevent sway and dipping
which alter the height and evenness of spray. This is especially important for operation on
uneven ground. Boom height may be lowered to produce less spray drift, although
modification to nozzle number, type and orientation is usually required to maintain an even
spray pattern across the boom. The use of wide-angle flat fan nozzles, (eg. 110°) usually
permits lower boom heights to be used effectively.

60
 3.3 METEOROLOGY
The weather plays an important role in controlling the fate of pesticides applied as sprays.
It is essential that operators engaged in spraying are aware of the immediate environmental
parameters. Low cost hand held anemometers and psychrometers are available to monitor
wind velocity and humidity. The purchase of meteorological station data loggers is
recommended for larger enterprises regularly involved in the application of pesticides.

The spray applicator must observe wind direction, wind speed, temperature and humidity,
and check that they are within acceptable limits before spraying takes place
The applicator should record wind direction, wind speed, temperature and humidity
prior to and during every spray operation.

RAINFALL/IRRIGATION
It is important to time spray applications to avoid periods of rain or irrigation. Spraying
onto leaves or other surfaces that are already wet dilutes most pesticide formulations and
may lead to an increase in run-off wasting the product and causing pollution. Wetting the
sprayed surface after application can cause similar results depending on the “rain-fastness”
of the pesticide. Read product labels to determine appropriate practices. As a general rule,
protectant pesticides e.g. Bordeaux mixture, which sit on target surfaces and contact pests
directly remain vulnerable to washing off. Additives can be mixed with some formulations
of pesticide to improve their durability on the target surface. Systemic pesticides are
absorbed by plants if sufficient time for absorption is allowed prior to wetting and can
remain active.

WIND DIRECTION
Droplets, particularly small ones, move with the air, therefore a
knowledge of the wind direction prior and during application is
essential. Importantly, the wind can be used to direct sprays
away from identified susceptible areas. Do not spray when the
wind is blowing towards susceptible areas.
Spraying should where possible be carried out with a crosswind,
working into wind towards the unsprayed area (see adjacent Check no
diagram). All spray applicators should be alert to changes in sensitive
START
areas
wind direction during spraying and modify or cancel a spray
downwind
program as necessary. of spray

Wind Speed
Wind speed should be between about 3 and 15 km/hr for most spraying operations.
Essentially droplets, particularly medium and large droplets, move greater distances in
stronger wind speeds, thus some forms of pesticide drift can be reduced if application is
undertaken during low wind speeds. However, spraying should not normally take place if
the wind is light and variable in strength or direction.

TEMPERATURE
Whenever possible, spraying should be avoided in high ambient air temperatures. Water-
based sprays are prone to evaporation, which decreases droplet size. Small droplets fall

61
more slowly and may even remain suspended in the air increasing the likelihood of drift
and decreasing the amount delivered to the target. This is particularly true when air
temperatures are high and the relative humidity is low. Initial droplet size may be
increased to compensate for this, or an adjuvant can sometimes be added to the formulation
to decrease evaporation. In open areas, high temperatures also mean the onset of unstable
atmospheric conditions that increase the difficulty in controlling the movement of droplets.

HUMIDITY
Spraying of water-based sprays should not take place under
conditions of high temperature and low humidity, ie. when
the wet bulb depression (a measure of evaporation potential)
is greater than about 10°C. Thermometer based whirling
psychrometers or electronic hand held instruments are
available which can be used to quickly assess relative
humidity and temperatures both under shade structures and in
the open.

ATMOSPHERIC STABILITY
Stability is a term used to describe the vertical movement and mixing of air in the
atmosphere. If the atmospheric conditions are unstable, such as occurs on a summer
afternoon, the dispersion rate of pesticide sprays may be high. Spray droplets or vapours
can be lifted up rather than allowed to settle resulting in increased off-target drift.
In conditions of moderate stability where there is air movement, turbulence is created when
air moves over the ground or plant canopy. This mixes air into the leaves of the plants and
can assist in even delivery of pesticide droplets to targets in a leaf canopy. Air moving
slowly (less than 5-10 km/h) toward the target, without updraughts represents ideal
spraying conditions for many hydraulic spray operations.

Under very stable conditions with little air movement, such as very early mornings, large
droplets fall more vertically and an increased proportion of pesticide is deposited on upper
leaf surfaces. Without air movement to swirl them into the canopy, very fine droplets may
even fall so slowly as to evaporate before impact and remain suspended in the air leading
to increased risk of drift during later air movement.

Temperature inversions
If the sky is clear at night the ground can lose heat rapidly. The ground then cools air
layers adjacent to the soil surface particularly if humidity (and thus heat capacity of the air)
is low. Under these conditions air close to the ground becomes cooler than air above. Since
this phenomenon is opposite to the normal condition of the atmosphere, (temperature
decreasing with height), the condition is called a surface temperature inversion.
Temperature inversions tend to suppress the vertical movement of air and therefore, in
effect, present a barrier to the transport of small droplets to the crop canopy. Inversions
usually form under very low wind speed conditions.

Spraying should be avoided under such circumstances since small droplets are capable of
remaining airborne for long periods after drifting above an inversion layer. This has been
known to cause severe damage several kilometres away from where spraying took place.

62
Assessing conditions
Spraying should therefore ideally take place in neutral atmospheric conditions with slight
air movement. The stability of the atmosphere can be assessed using smoke, or driving a
vehicle along a dusty track. Movement of material up into the air indicates instability and
concentration of smoke or dust within a thin layer indicates the presence of a surface
temperature inversion.

Figure 8. Basic guide to air stability

smoke plume

UNSTABLE (eg. afternoon)

10 m
hot, low windspeed.
height

Risk of upward movement of

spray particularly with small
droplets
temp °C

NEUTRAL (eg. morning)

height

light, cool breeze.

Often optimum spraying
conditions

temp °C

STABLE (eg. dusk)

clear skies, calm.
height

High risk of off target deposition

particularly with small droplets

temp °C

Behaviour of smoke or dust under various conditions

of atmospheric stability

63
 3.4 VEGETATIVE BUFFERS
Trees and shrubs planted downwind of an agricultural area or nursery boundary can be
used to recover droplets moving out of the sprayed area and thereby reduce spray drift.
Their use has been trialled by several commercial nurseries.

PRINCIPLES OF BUFFERS
If a dense barrier is presented to airflow, air tends to flow up and over the barrier. This is
illustrated in Figure 9a, where the airflow deviation over a solid board (0% porosity)
placed in a wind tunnel is shown. The region directly behind the barrier is characterised by
low pressure and turbulent eddies. Dense, low porosity structures are less effective in
trapping the droplets moving with the air except in the immediate region behind the barrier
because small droplets (under 100 µm) move readily in the airstream and are carried above
and around the barrier.

A porous barrier however, allows some air to pass though its structure while still deflecting
some airflow over the top. This is illustrated in Figure 9b where a nylon mesh with 50%
porosity (50% solid and 50% open) was placed in a wind tunnel. The figure shows that
there was less deviation of air over the top of the barrier compared to the solid barrier. The
airflow behind the barrier was also straighter and less turbulent than behind the solid
barrier. With a porous barrier, droplets can be carried through a buffer and this increases
the chance of capture within the buffer structure. A porous barrier can effect a greater
removal of spray droplets than the solid barrier.

Figure 9a and 9b. Effect of barrier porosity on airflow characteristics

Direction of airflow
Barrier
Solid

Direction of airflow
50% Porosity
Barrier

Using vegetation as a buffer

In designing vegetative buffers, the primary aim is to maximise the catching surface for the
spray droplets whilst at the same time minimising the amount of airflow passing around the
structure. This is not designed to be a complete windbreak but more of a strainer or filter.
The aim of a vegetative buffer is to use the natural surfaces (leaves, stems, flowers and

64
seeds) of the tree/shrub to catch pesticide droplets as they move in the air through the
vegetation. Vegetative elements that present a small frontal area to the moving droplets are
the most successful at catching droplets. Trees such as the River She-Oak (Casuarina spp.)
that have thin needle-like foliage and numerous small branches are particularly suitable.
Large leaves that are covered in small hairs can also be very efficient at removing droplets.
Most natural surfaces are not smooth. Plants may have a complex rough surface
comprising small protruding spikes or hairs and leaf veins. All these factors help to
increase the catch efficiency of the plant. Movement of the leaves caused by the flow of air
around shrubs and trees also increases the catch efficiency of small droplets.

Constructed buffers
Due to the intense land use of nurseries, it can be more convenient to erect artificial buffers
using shade cloth and timber posts. These require no growing time and have the added
benefit of retaining humidity and reducing the vulnerability of stock to wind damage.
Contact your State Nursery Development Officer for information on construction details or
read the Nursery Paper “Windbreaks, an investment in quality and profitability”.9

Height of buffers
Because turbulence causes dispersion of a spray cloud, and it “spreads” vertically as well
as horizontally, a vegetative barrier must be higher than the release height of the spray.
The greater the density of the buffer (the lower the porosity), the higher a barrier needs to
be in relation to the spray release height. Wind tunnel tests have shown that the minimum
height of the barrier should be at least one and a half (1.5) times the release height of the
spray for a barrier with 50% porosity. If the porosity is reduced to 40% the minimum
height of the barrier increases to double (2.0 times) the release height.

For a solid barrier the required height approaches infinity so solid barriers are not suitable
unless they entirely enclose the sprayed area (as per a poly or glasshouse). As a general
guide, the minimum height of the buffer should be double the release height. For example
if spraying is conducted by hand at a release height of 1 metre, then the buffer height
should be at least 2 metres.

Width of buffers
The wider the buffer, the greater their impact on reducing spray drift. With a wide buffer it
is possible to increase the number of surfaces available for droplet collection without
significantly reducing the airflow through the buffer. A wide buffer is impractical in many
rural/urban interface situations so a compromise may sometimes need to be determined.
Figure 10. Optimum vegetative buffer dimensions
(>2.0 x release ht)
Height
Release
Height

Width

9
Available from State Nursery Development Officers or on the web at www.ngia.com.au/np/index.html

65
Distance of buffers from spraying
The closer the vegetative buffer is to the release point, the greater the proportion of spray
that will be intercepted. Figure 11, shows that a vegetative buffer at position A would tend
to intercept a greater proportion of a spray cloud than a buffer located at position B. The
concentration through the spray cloud is not constant and usually tends to be greatest near
ground level. A buffer at position B could still be expected to intercept a reasonable
proportion of the airborne droplets.

Figure 11. Effect of distance from release point

PLANNING GUIDELINES IN QUEENSLAND

In 1997 the Department of Natural Resources in Queensland introduced the “Planning
Guidelines: Separating Agricultural and Residential Land Uses”. The guidelines have the
following objectives (DNR 1997,3):

1. To protect the use of reasonable and practicable farming measures that are
practiced in accordance with the Environmental Code of Practice for Agriculture
and associated industry-specific guidelines.
2. To minimise scope for conflict by developing where possible, a well-defined
boundary between agricultural and residential areas and not interspersing
agricultural and residential areas.
3. To minimise the impacts of residential development on agricultural production
activities and land resources.
4. To minimise the potential for complaints about agricultural activities from
residential areas.
5. To provide residents with acceptable environmental conditions in residential areas
that are located adjacent to agricultural production areas.

The Queensland guidelines specify a minimum spray drift buffer width of 20 metres
planted with trees and at least 10 metres clear of vegetation to either side of the vegetated
area to give a total buffer width of 40 metres (DNR, 1997). A schematic cross section of
this arrangement is shown in Figure 12. A 20 metre clear area, (10 metres either side of the
buffer) is included in the design to provide a fire break, allow access to the buffer for
maintenance and limit solid structures immediately next to the buffer elements. Provided
the requirements of the guidelines can be met by other means, the guidelines do allow
buffer layouts to be altered. The Queensland Guidelines provide a sound minimum basis
for the construction of buffer areas between conflicting land uses.

66
 Figure 12. Schematic illustration of vegetative buffer required for spray drift
mitigation as defined by “Planning Guidelines: Separating Agricultural and
Residential Land Uses” (DNR 1997)

Queensland Guidelines

Allotment Boundary
Estate Boundary

Agricultural Residential
Clear Vegetation Clear

10 m 20m 10m

SUMMARY
In summary off target movement of sprays in the nursery can be managed by:

• Identifying all areas around an area to be sprayed that could be susceptible to spray
drift damage
• Communicating on a regular basis with neighbours regarding proposed spray
schedules and activities
• Maintaining a copy of relevant material safety data sheets (MSDS) for all pesticides
stored and used.
• Reading, understanding and following the pesticide product label prior to mixing
and spraying.
• Observing and recording wind direction, wind speed, temperature and humidity
prior to and during application
• Avoiding spraying when air is moving toward susceptible areas.
• Not spraying if the wind is light and variable in strength or direction.
• Spraying of water-based sprays when temperatures are the lowest (in a 24 hr cycle).
• Not spraying water-based pesticides under conditions of high temperature and low
humidity.
• Spraying when atmospheric conditions are neutral.
• Not spraying during highly unstable conditions.
• Not spraying during highly stable conditions or when surface temperature inversion
exists.
• Spraying where possible, with a crosswind, progressing upwind in application.
• Ensuring spray equipment is correctly calibrated and appropriate nozzle systems
selected.

67
 CHAPTER 4. PESTICIDE APPLICATION EQUIPMENT
AND TECHNIQUES

4.1 SPRAYER TYPES

Sprayers used in plant nurseries are commonly classified according to the volume of spray
they apply per sprayed area. Application type and delivery volumes are determined by the
choice of nozzle. It is the nozzle that delivers the spray solution as spray droplets that can
then be distributed over the treatment area.

Nozzle selection is one of the most important considerations when selecting a sprayer. In
this manual nozzle types have been separated into three categories according to the way
they are used when fitted to pesticide application equipment used in nurseries; High
volume, Low volume and Ultra low volume.

HIGH VOLUME
High volume sprayers are the most common types of sprayer used in
nursery operations. Application rates range from about 200 L/ha to over
2000 L/ha. High volume sprayers are typically used where the label refers to
spraying to run-off. Hydraulic nozzles such as flat fan, hollow cones or
adjustable hand guns are typically used on high volume sprayers. These
sprayers may range from small units such as the Silvan Selecta® range up to
large purpose built units such as the QuikSpray 9TBE®.

LOW VOLUME
Low-volume sprayers are used as an alternative to high volume
hydraulic sprayers for pesticide application in plant nurseries,
particularly where label rates are expressed as a volume of chemical
per unit volume of spray solution (eg. 300mL per 100L of water).
Although they may be more expensive, they may also provide better
target coverage. Some low-volume sprayers may also reduce the time
required for spraying and, therefore, cost of labour. Low volume
equipment typically uses air-shear or spinning discs to generate
droplets (commonly referred to as CDA or controlled droplet
applicator nozzles). Examples of air-shear include the Silvan
Turbomiser®, and the Ideal® backpack mister. The ULVA+® and HERBI® sprayers are
examples of CDA technology.

ULTRA LOW VOLUME

Ultra low volume sprayers used in nursery applications are
commonly called foggers and they apply very low volumes (<10
L/ha) of chemical mix. In some cases the pesticide is applied neat or
directly from the container without any mixing with water. The use
of Ultra low volume systems is only possible if the spray is delivered
as very small droplets. Examples include the Curtis Dyna-Fog® and
the Pulsefog®.

68
 4.2 SPRAYER COMPONENTS
Sprayers come in a large range of types and sizes from small hand held sprayers to large
self-propelled machines. While there is such a large variety, there are some basic
components that are found on nearly all types of sprayers. The basic components used in
liquid application systems include:

• Nozzles to generate droplets

• A method of holding the nozzle so that the spray is directed towards the target
• A frame / chassis and drive
• A tank to hold the chemical
• A method to make liquid flow
• An agitation system to keep the spray solution well mixed
• Pressure regulators and control valves
• A filtration system (suction and pressure in-line filters)
• Auxiliary equipment, such as a clean water tank, diaphragm check valves and spray
management valves.

Figure 13. A typical layout of application equipment (high and low volume) used in
the nursery industry

Tank

Suction Filter
By- pass
Pump

Regulator
Pressure filter
Pressure
On/Off valve Gauge

Nozzle/s

69
TANK
The spray tank should be of an appropriate size for the type of sprayer used and the volume
of pesticide mixture required for the area to be sprayed. The shape of the tank should allow
for easy access for filling and ease of drainage and cleaning. A small sump in the tank is
generally recommended so that a minimum amount of liquid remains within the tank after
the majority of the spray solution has been used.

Materials used in tank construction need to be resistant to chemicals, non-corrosive, not

easily damaged, resistant to sunlight and easy to repair. A gauge showing volumes at
various percentages of fill is important.

PUMP (LIQUID FLOW)

The spray liquid is usually forced through the nozzle by the use of a pump to generate
pressure. Some hand held systems such as the ULVA® and HERBI® use gravity for the
liquid to flow (tank positioned higher than nozzle). A wide variety of pumps are available
for application systems. Examples include Diaphragm, Centrifugal, Piston, Roller, and
Gear pumps. Pumps used in nursery situations are commonly powered by a 12 V battery,
or a separate petrol motor on the sprayer, or a tractor driven power take-off (PTO).

When selecting a pump, the following factors should be considered:

• The operating pressure required

• The output (L/min) of liquid required
• Power requirement to drive the pump
• Type of chemicals to be used
• Durability of the pump
• Costs

AGITATION SYSTEM
Many chemical formulations consist of fine powders or particles that need to be held in
suspension in the chemical mix. If the mix is left to stand these particles may tend to settle
on the bottom of the tank. A system to agitate or mix the chemical is therefore required.
This is usually achieved by re-circulating some of the spray mix back to the spray tank.
The pump output should be greater than that required to operate the nozzle to allow
recirculation back into the tank during spraying. Once flow to the nozzles is stopped, the
total flow from the pump is redirected back into the spray tank. Sometime special fittings
are used on the bypass system to increase the agitation in the tank.

Other methods of agitation include mechanical systems such as a rotating paddle or manual
agitation by physically shaking the tank for small handheld equipment. Pesticide labels
should always be consulted to determine any specific requirements for agitation.

70
PRESSURE REGULATORS AND CONTROL VALVES
Liquid flow rate and pressure to nozzles must be controlled to ensure that sprayer output is
consistent. This is generally achieved by use of pressure regulators and/or control valves.
These may be operated manually or electronically, particularly for the larger sprayers. All
systems MUST be fitted with a pressure gauge. The gauge should be positioned as close as
practicable to the nozzles and be clearly visible to the operator. On tractor mounted
equipment, two separate pressure gauges may be necessary, one visible to the operator and
the other nearer to the nozzles used for calibration and setup of equipment.

FILTRATION SYSTEM
Filters are required to prevent nozzle blockage. Blockage results in wasted time, increased
risk of chemical exposure if nozzles or filters require cleaning in the field, and poor
coverage in the field if individual nozzle blockages are not detected.
Factors such as the water source, pesticide formulation and pump agitation capability
influence the type of filtration system required for the sprayer.

There are typically several stages of filtration in liquid application equipment. These stages
and typical mesh sizes are listed below. Mesh size is defined as the number of openings
along a linear inch. Thus 100 mesh has 100 openings along a linear inch or 10000 openings
per square inch.

Filter Stage Typical Mesh size

Tank inlet filter 50 mesh
Suction filter 40 to 80 mesh
Pressure line filter 40 to 80 mesh
Nozzle filter 50 to 100 mesh

For hydraulic nozzle operation the manufacturers’ recommendations should be followed.

The fitting of pressure in-line filters with easy access and colour coded filters is
recommended. For positioning of the pressure in-line filter refer to the diagram on page 69.

AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT
Auxiliary equipment such as a fresh water tank and chemical handling equipment can be
added to a sprayer system for increased safety and easier preparation of chemicals. Smaller
chemical tanks such as Hardi’s Quickmix Hopper® can be added to the side of the larger
tanks at an accessible height which allows safe pouring of chemicals. Clean water tanks are
important for hand washing and use in emergencies when clean water may be unobtainable
in the field.

71
 4.3 SPRAYING EQUIPMENT
Key to symbols describing spraying equipment
To assist in ease of use and economy of space within the manual the following symbols
have been included with the general descriptions and advantages and disadvantages of each
piece of pesticide application equipment described in this chapter.

Where one or more symbols have been included with the description of the equipment, this
indicates that this piece of equipment is suitable for the use or uses that each of those
symbols indicates.

For instance some sprayer types are suitable for use at a range of volumes and may have all
three sprayer type symbols included with their descriptions, whereas others may only be
suitable for use at one volume, such as many of the ultra low volume sprayers.
Some sprayers may produce a wide range of droplet sizes, others may produce a narrow
range of droplet sizes.

Some sprayers will be useful in a range of nursery operations, whereas others may be
limited to glasshouse, polyhouse or outdoor use.

Figure 14. Symbols used in this chapter

Sprayer Type Droplet Size Pesticides Nursery Coverage Nursery Size
Design
High Very Herbi- Open Spot Small
Volume fine & cides Plan Spray
fine
Low Medium Insecti- Shade Blanket Medium
Volume cides House spray

Ultra Low Coarse Fungi- Glass or Large

Volume cides Poly-
House

If in doubt about any of the symbols used in this chapter, please refer back to this key.

N.B. Always refer to the manufacturer’s catalogue when selecting or fitting

appropriate accessories such as nozzles, handpieces, etc for pesticide application. Be
sure to check the output, and nozzles specifications to ensure that they are
appropriate for the task intended.

72
Nozzles: High volume

Hydraulic Nozzles

Examples – Spraying Systems (Teejet®), Hardi®,

Lurmark®, Delevan® and Albuz® hydraulic
nozzles.

Hydraulic nozzles come in a wide variety of designs. Droplets are formed by forcing the
spray liquid under pressure through specially designed holes, the “orifice” in the body of
the nozzle. The most common types of hydraulic nozzles are the flat fan and hollow cone
nozzles. The spray patterns produced by these two nozzle types are shown in the
diagrams below. In general flat fan nozzles produce a slightly larger droplet size than the
hollow cone nozzle and can be operated at lower pressures than hollow cone nozzles.

The droplet size produced by hydraulic nozzles increases as the orifice size is increased
(allowing higher flow rates) or as the operating pressure is decreased. Decreasing
pressure also decreases the angle of the spray pattern.

Most manufactures of hydraulic nozzles now produce low drift nozzles (eg. Turbo TeeJet
(TT) Drift Guard (DG), Air Induction (AI) and Low Drift (LD)). These are designed to
produce larger droplet sizes under typical operating conditions. The larger droplet sizes can
assist in reducing drift but may also reduce coverage on plant surfaces due to the lower
number of droplets that are generated per volume of spray liquid. Drift reduction nozzles
produce larger droplets through minor charges to the nozzle design. Typically these
changes are in the form of a pre-orifice or by air inclusion in the liquid.
Hydraulic nozzles are usually mounted at or by the end of a hand lance, hand gun or along a
boom.

Flat Fan nozzle Hollow Cone nozzle

Advantages Disadvantages
• Versatile. • Difficult to get uniform coverage.
• Low cost. • Nozzles are prone to wear.
• Nozzles are easy to use – no moving • Nozzles require regular calibration.
parts. • Pressure and distance to target must be
• Nozzles can be used for a wide range of known.
situations. • Air assistance is sometimes required for
• Nozzle components are easily changed. efficient small droplet capture on
• Parts are of a simple design. targets.
• The wide droplet spectrum allows for • Nozzles generate a wide droplet
some operator error. spectrum that can lead to wastage and/or
pesticide drift.

73
Hydraulic Nozzles: High Volume

Hand gun

Examples – Hardi® lightweight gun, Croplands®

turbo gun, Spraying Systems® spray gun

The handgun is the most commonly used spray nozzle in nursery situations. They are
usually operated at a high pressure of 10 to 30 bar (150 to 450 psi) although lower pressure
versions are available. Due to this high pressure, hand guns are able to throw the spray
liquid long distances, which enables the operator to stand in walkways and direct the spray
to the far side of racks or bays. However this increased throwing distance encourages the
production of large droplet sizes. These large droplets may lead to poor coverage,
particularly on lower leaf surfaces, excessive use of pesticide mixture, run-off, and
contamination of the environment. The use of too high a pressure can also result in very
fine droplets being produced (misting). These fine droplets are prone to drift away from the
application area and may also contaminate the operator. The high pressure may also result
in damage to foliage nearest to the release point from the handgun.

Spray guns may have either a fixed swirl chamber or an adjustable swirl chamber which
allows a change of spray angle and thus the spread of the spray. Adjustable nozzles can
provide spraying flexibility, however a greater degree of operator knowledge is required to
correctly use these nozzles. Changes to flow rate, operating pressure, width of the spray,
throwing distance and droplets sizes will all influence the effectiveness of pest
management. For details of these influences refer to chapter 3 of this manual.

The trigger on adjustable nozzles guns allows the operator to change the flow rate and
nozzle performance. While this has practical advantages it makes these systems difficult to
calibrate when using products that need to be applied on a volume per unit area basis (eg.
L/ha) rather than a volume per volume or concentration basis (eg. 300mL per 100L of
spray solution).

Sprayer units fitted with a high-pressure handgun can be mounted on tractors, trailers or
hand-pushed carts, which increases manoeuvrability. One significant disadvantage of the
handgun is that the coverage is dependent upon the individual spray operator. Some
product labels recommend that the volume of spray has to be applied until runoff occurs on
the plant. This definition of ‘runoff’ is an ambiguous term and the amount applied by
different operators can vary considerably across a target area. Run-off also results in loss
of spray into the environment.

Advantages Disadvantages
• Versatile. Can be used for all spraying • Difficult to calibrate.
operations. • Highly subject to operator error.
• Nozzles may be adjusted to suit • Difficult to achieve uniform coverage.
operating conditions. • High risk of run-off and environmental
• Relatively inexpensive. contamination.
• Can be used in various sizes of nursery.

74
Nozzles: Low volume

Air shear sprayers

Examples –
Silvan Turbomiser®,
Ideal® Backpack mister

Air shear nozzles use high-speed air of up to 300km/hr to convert the spray solution into
droplets. The spray liquid is fed at low pressure to the nozzle through a suitable restrictor and
the jet of liquid emerging at the nozzle orifice is then sheared by the high speed air into droplets
which are carried to the target in the air stream produced by the sprayer.

Droplet sizes generated from air shear nozzles are usually fine to very-fine. The most important
variable determining droplet size is the air/liquid ratio. Larger droplets are obtained with
increased liquid flow and/or through a reduction in air velocity. The spray liquid should be
spread into a sheet to maximise the effect of airflow and obtain efficient break-up into droplets.
Variation in droplet size depends to some extent on the design and position of the spray liquid
orifice in relation to the airstream.

Airshear systems may have a high power requirement because of the need to produce high-
speed air for the efficient formation of small droplets. Such systems range from backpack
misters to large tractor powered units such as the Turbomiser®, both pictured above. Hearing
protection is generally required when operating these systems due to the noise generated by the
motor and fan. Newer models of backpack misters tend to be quieter and may be preferable to
older models.

The air used in the production of the droplets can also be used to constrain droplets within the
airstream and to direct the droplets towards the target. This can increase the droplet capture and
coverage on the target. Various deflectors and diffusers can be used to manage and direct the
droplet laden air to the targets.

75
 Advantages Disadvantages
• Small droplets can result in good • Cost of equipment
coverage under suitable conditions. • High level of operator knowledge
• Air movement can aid penetration into required
canopy and droplet capture on targets. • Small droplets are prone to drift
• Spray covers a large area quickly • High power requirement.
• Changing air/liquid flow can alter • Not suitable for spot spraying
droplet size. • Can be noisy
• Low quantities of carrier fluid required

76
Nozzles: Low volume

Controlled Droplet Applicators (CDA)

Spinning disc / Spinning cage

Examples – Micron ULVA® or HERBI® spinning

discs, Micronair® AU8000 spinning cage

Controlled Droplet Application (CDA) is a method of producing droplets using spinning

discs or cages. CDA sprayers produce a narrower range of droplet sizes compared to
hydraulic nozzles. The droplet sizes produced by CDA sprayers can be increased or
decreased by changing the rotational speed of the disc or the flow rate of the liquid, or a
combination of both. The selection of the disc or cage type is also important for managing
droplet size.

Rotational speed for battery operated equipment, such as the HERBI® or ULVA® CDA
sprayers can be affected by the number of batteries or the charge of the batteries. Flow rate
can also be affected by the viscosity of the liquid. In some models the flow rate can be
changed by changing the metering orifice.

To produce smaller droplets: Increase rotational speed, or

Decrease flow rate, or
a combination of both.

To produce larger droplets: Decrease rotational speed, or

Increase flow rate, or
a combination of both.

N.B. For optimum outcomes and management of the droplet sizes, refer to the
manufacturer’s handbook. The selection of disc or cage types is important in managing the
droplet spectrum produced by the sprayer.

Small discs spinning at high speeds can produce fine droplets which considerably increase
the target coverage when applying insecticides and fungicides. Many of these systems such
as the ULVA Fan®, use a fan with the spinning disc to direct droplets towards the desired
target. This can further increase coverage by improving penetration and target capture of
the spray droplets. ULVA’s have smaller discs which spin at higher speeds and are better
suited to insecticide and fungicide operations in controlled environments such as glass or
poly houses. HERBI’s on the other hand, have larger discs which normally spin at lower
speeds and produce larger droplets. They are typically used for herbicide application.

77
 Advantages Disadvantages
• A narrow range of droplets can be • Most nozzle systems require relatively
produced. complex motorised components.
• Uniform droplet size • For effective use, specialist knowledge
- HERBI® units minimise small droplets and a high level of understanding is
(minimising drift) required.
- ULVA® units minimise large droplets • Accurate droplet formation requires the
(minimise waste and carrier volumes)… correct disc or cage, rotational speed
• Air assistance can be used to increase and liquid flow rate.
coverage/penetration. • May be difficult to calibrate, as swath
• Nozzle systems can be tailored for the width may vary depending on wind
production of certain droplet sizes (eg. high conditions and operating height.
speed small discs produce fine droplets, low • Battery driven models may need
speed large disc generate larger droplets). regular recharging or battery
• Generally light weight and low energy use. replacement.

78
Nozzles: Low volume

Electrostatics

Example – Randells On TargetTM

In electrostatic sprayers the spray material is given a static electric charge as it travels
through the nozzle. In theory this can help to create droplets that are more uniform in size
that disperse more evenly because they repel each other, since all droplets carry a like
charge.

Several styles of electrostatic sprayers are available They require an independent power
supply to charge the tank. Other units are cart-mounted with an integral compressor
powered by a petrol engine or electric motor. Electrostatic sprayers work best if the
sprayer-to-target distance is less than 4 to 5 metres.

Penetration of spray into a dense canopy and coverage onto the under leaf surfaces can be
poor because the droplets are attracted to the nearest surface which may well be the outer
foliage of the plant. Electrostatic charging is only effective for small droplets. The
charging may also not be sufficient to overcome other effects such as wind, so they are
best in controlled environments such as glasshouses or polyhouses.

Advantages Disadvantages
• Small droplets potentially give a more • High operator hazard as spray can be
uniform coverage on both upper and attracted to operator and equipment.
lower leaf surfaces. • Very high level of knowledge required
for successful use.
• High level of maintenance.

79
Nozzles: Ultra Low volume

Cold Foggers

Examples – Fontan® Turbostar with fan unit

Photo supplied by Chemical

Enterprises
http://www.agrodynamics.com/spraye
rs_foggers.htm

Cold-foggers are also known as mechanical foggers as these devices use high-pressure
pumps and atomising nozzles to produce very small fog-sized particles of less than 15µm.
Distribution of the spray material is through a hand-held gun or external fan unit. With the
fan unit, the distance and the area that can be treated depends on the capacity of the fan.
Multiple units or multiple settings may be needed to cover large areas.

Often it is difficult for fine droplets to penetrate dense canopies, however many studies
have shown good pest management has been achieved using foggers.

Safety is important when using a mechanical fogger employing a high-pressure pump.

Hands and arms must be kept away from the outlet because at 2 000 to 3 000 psi the spray
particle can penetrate the skin very easily. Information should also be gathered on the
length of time that fog stays suspended in a still or controlled environment to determine
the period for safe re-entry to the area.

Advantages Disadvantages
• Blanket spray • Drift
• Suitable for glasshouse/polyhouse • Operator hazard
application if appropriate products are • Can’t spot spray
used. • Small droplets may not penetrate dense
• Very small droplets can result in good plant canopies.
coverage.

80
Nozzles: Ultra Low volume

Thermal foggers

Examples – Swingfog® and Pulsfog®

Thermal foggers require a specially formulated carrier that is mixed with the pesticide to
improve uniformity of droplet size and distribution of the spray material. The carrier also
decreases molecular weight, allowing the particles to float in the air for up to six hours.
This can be a disadvantage when access to the treated area is required.

A thermal fogger uses a system similar to that used in jet engines. The pesticide is injected
into the extremely hot, fast moving air stream, where it is vaporised into fog-sized
particles. Moving from one end to the other, a hectare can be covered in as little as 30
minutes. Air circulation systems in a building will improve the uniformity of coverage and
foliage penetration.

The temperature and humidity in the greenhouse can also affect the spray droplets. Under
high temperatures and low humidity, the spray droplets will tend to fall out of the air
quicker and increase the level of deposits on the upper leaf surfaces.

N.B. Due to the level of noise generated by thermal foggers hearing protection should
be worn when using equipment!

Advantages Disadvantages
• Blanket spray • Drift
• Suitable for glasshouse or polyhouse use • Operator hazard from small droplets and
• Very small droplets can result in good noise.
coverage, particularly when combined • Spot-spraying is impossible
with air movement. • Small droplets may not penetrate dense
plant canopies without air movement.

81
Nozzles: Other

Wick wipers

Examples – Winston Weed Wiper®

Rope-wick applicators are a convenient way of applying herbicides to manage weeds in

plant nurseries. They produce no drift and therefore can be used close to other plants.
They are ideal for weed management on paths, particularly in retail situations where the
opportunities for spot spraying may be limited.

Rope wick applicators are used for wiping translocated herbicides (eg. glyphosate) onto
the foliage of susceptible weeds. They consist of a container from which the pre-mixed
spray solution is able to soak an absorbent surface without dripping excess liquid. The
applicator can be mounted on a handheld stick or a have the rope wick attached to a
horizontal boom or a rotating drum.

The main problems with the equipment are difficulties in avoiding dripping or conversely
having too dry a wick, and accumulation of dirt on the surface of the applicator. The hand
carried rope wick applicator is mainly used for spot treatment of weeds on paths and
between beds where the likelihood of the wick contacting nursery plants is minimal.

Advantages Disadvantages
• No drift • Translocated herbicides only
• Low cost • Products recommended for use in wick
• Easy to use wipers are usually non-selective

82
NOZZLE HOLDERS – HYDRAULIC SPRAYERS
In many nursery sprayers the nozzle-holding device is hand-held by the spray operator.
Nozzle-holders can incorporate structures such as shields to minimise drift or otherwise
modify the spray pattern and management (e.g. diaphragm check valves).

Hand held nozzles

Examples – Hardi spray wand®

For most sprayers used in nursery situations the nozzle is held by hand and manually
directed towards the target. The nozzle may either be a hydraulic hand gun or hydraulic
nozzle at the end of a lance. More than one hydraulic nozzle may be used on a small boom
arrangement. They usually have a trigger or tap to enable the operator to quickly and easily
start and stop liquid flow to the nozzle.

The nozzles can be at the end of a long flexible hose connected to the remainder of the
sprayer components which can then be parked at a convenient location. This approach
allows greater freedom for the operator to move around the nursery. The hose is usually
manually rolled and unrolled but some units (eg. QuickSpray®) have a radio controlled
unit to remotely coil and uncoil the hose.

When applying the pesticide mixture to the target, the operator needs to carefully move the
nozzle in such a way that uniform coverage of the target is achieved over the entire
treatment area.

Advantages Disadvantages
• Flexible operation. Able to manoeuvre • Difficult to calibrate
around nursery structures such as • Operator exposure due to operator
irrigation risers and building supports directly handling nozzle and hoses
• Uniform deposits difficult to achieve

83
Nozzle holders

Boom Sprayers (Vehicle Mounted)

Examples – Hardi® SB and MB Booms

Vehicle-mounted boom sprayers can be used to treat larger areas within the nursery more
uniformly than is possible with handheld equipment.

A boom is a structure on which more than one nozzle is mounted. The boom is usually
attached to the other components that are driven along roadways with the boom directed
over the target area (plant bed). Most booms are mounted at the rear of the spray tank,
although some are in front so that the operator can see the position of the nozzles in
relation to the rows. The front mounted boom position can result in increased risk of
operator exposure to the pesticides.

For nursery sprayers a single-, or occasionally, a double-wing boom is used. During

spraying, the outer sections are often mounted so that they can be moved out of the way of
any obstructions. Manufacturers have used various methods to pivot and fix the boom
sections for easy handling. Normally, the booms are unfolded by hand, but on some
sprayers, positioning of the boom can be managed hydraulically without the operator
leaving the tractor or vehicle.

A wide range of hydraulic nozzles can be fitted to the boom. The nozzle body may be
screwed into openings along the boom, but often the boom incorporates special nozzle
bodies clamped to the horizontal feed pipe. A diaphragm check valve should be used with
each nozzle to prevent dripping of liquid when pressure to the boom is low (i.e. the vehicle
is stationary). Nozzles are evenly spaced along the boom and the height of the boom
should be adjusted according to the type of nozzle being used and the manufacturer’s
recommendations.

The pattern from each nozzle has to be overlapped to achieve as uniform a distribution of
spray as possible across the whole boom. Some operators use a double overlap. If the
boom is set too high drift potential is increased and excessive overlap can occur, resulting
in a very uneven distribution. The subsequent ‘peaks’ and ‘troughs’ occur with both fan
and hollow-cone nozzles, but are generally more pronounced with hollow cone nozzles.
Uneven distribution also results if the boom is set too low.
Advantages Disadvantages
• Quick to cover the target area • Booms can be difficult to manoeuvre
• Greater uniformity in deposition than around the nursery (eg. irrigation risers,
handguns building structures)
• Nozzles can be changed to suit • Nozzles wear and should be replaced
situation regularly

84
Nozzle holders(Vehicle Mounted)

Vertical Boom

Examples – Auspray Machinery

with Micromaster™ CDA heads

illustration courtesy of Redland’s Bay

Nursery.

This tractor mounted boom is fitted with two Micromaster™ CDA heads and has various
names including “vertical boom” and “vertical mister”. Each head consists of four
spinning discs and a fan. These are driven by hydraulic pressure generated by a pump
under the tank that attaches to the tractor’s power-take-off (PTO). The heads are normally
operated at ca. 2000 rpm to generate droplets which are then moved toward the target in
the air-stream created by the fans.

Heads can be fitted facing forward or backward to suit the orientation of the target. The
entire unit, including tank, is usually mounted on the three-point-linkage of a small tractor.

When using vertical booms care must be taken to determine that the fans create sufficient
air movement so that spray droplets penetrate into the plant canopy. This is an important
part of calibration with this equipment.

Advantages Disadvantages
• Quick to cover the target area • Tractor mounted equipment can be difficult
• Greater uniformity in deposition than to manoeuvre around the nursery
handheld CDA equipment • Risk of drift if airflow not entirely
• Attitude and airflow can be adjusted intercepted by target
to suit target • Greater requirement for operator
knowledge
• Difficult to spot spray small areas

85
Nozzle holders
Shielded sprayers

Nozzle Holders

Examples – Enviromist® fitted with CDA

equipment, Rodgero WindFoil® fitted with
hydraulic spray equipment.

Shields are sometime placed around the spray nozzle to prevent droplets (usually
herbicides) travelling away from the target area. With sprayers generating air movement
they may also be used to direct droplets in the air stream toward the target. This technique
is particularly suited for weed management around the nursery, for example, weeds located
in walkways and near buildings.

Shielded sprayers can be suitable for applying non-selective chemicals because they can
minimize the off-target losses. When shields are fitted to knapsack sprayers a flat fan
nozzle should be used, with a spray angle that is appropriate for the shield design. Even
when using a shielded sprayer the correct hydraulic nozzle should be selected for the target,
only spray during suitable conditions and operate at a pressure that minimises the formation
of small droplets.

Shield fitted to the hand lance of a Hydraulic Knapsack sprayer.

Advantages Disadvantages
• Low Drift • Generally not used for
• Suitable for herbicide application insecticides/fungicide application to
• Can decrease chemical use by spot plant nurseries.
spraying • Large units can be relatively expensive
• The weight of the shield on hand held
units.

86
FRAME / CHASSIS AND DRIVE
Frame / Chassis and Drive

Trailer

Examples – Hardi Explorer®

The sprayer requires some form of frame or chassis to hold all the sprayer components
together. This needs to be of sufficient strength to carry the load (including a full spray
tank). A method of driving the sprayer over the treatment area is also required. This can be
achieved by foot, tractor, 4WD motorbike, or self-contained drives.

Trailer sprayers come in a large variety of sizes and shapes. The size of the trailer typically
relates to the area requiring treatment. The larger the area, the larger the spray components
and hence, the larger the trailer. Trailer sprayers are often fitted with one or more
hydraulic handguns or a wand on a short boom fitted with nozzles.

Advantages Disadvantages
• Versatile • Difficult to turn in small areas
• Flexible • Bulky

87
Frame / Chassis and Drive

Tractor 3 point linkage

Low Volume Sprayer

Examples – Silvan Turbomiser®

an air-shear sprayer

The entire sprayer unit may be mounted on the three-point linkage of a tractor. This
method is more common in large nurseries. The Silvan Turbomiser® pictured above is a
commonly used example of a tractor mounted droplet delivery system. The same
principles apply as with smaller scale equipment. In this case, as an airshear sprayer, it is
not suitable for herbicide application because of the large number of small droplets
produced which create a high potential for drift.

Tractors can be fitted with cabins and suitable air filters to decrease operator exposure to
pesticides during application.

Advantages Disadvantages
• Quicker to cover large target areas • Only suitable for larger operations
• Small droplets in a moving airstream • May require more horsepower to
can improve target capture. operate than available on many small
tractors
• Drift needs to be considered

88
Frame / Chassis and Drive

Backpack/Knapsack or Hand held

hydraulic sprayer.

Examples – Solo 425® and Micropack®

Knapsack sprayers are carried by the applicator, usually on the back. The pump is usually
a piston or diaphragm driven by a lever that the operator moves up and down during use.
Small petrol motor-driven pumps or electric pumps operating on rechargeable 12V battery
may be used on some units. Most lever-operated knapsack sprayers are fitted with a
simple lance with usually one or two nozzles at the end. Hydraulic nozzles are typically
used.

When using lever-operated knapsacks, the operator works the pump several times with the
tap closed so that pressure is built up in the pressure chamber. The tap is opened and the
operator continues to pump steadily with one hand while spraying with the other. Ideally a
pressure control valve is also fitted adjacent to the tap. Spray management valves
(SMV’s) can be fitted to ensure that the pressure at the nozzle remains constant. Most
older style knapsacks deliver low pressures or 1-5 bar, but some newer models area
capable of 8-9 bar.

Compression sprayers
Some units have a small tank that can be carried by hand or slung over the shoulder by a
strap. These are referred to as compression sprayers. A hand pump, usually built into the
tank, is used to pressurize the tank to a level suitable for correct operation of the nozzle.
An SMV should be fitted to ensure constant pressure during spray operations. A pressure
relief valve should also be fitted into these sprayers to release pressure for refilling.

All systems that rely on manual pumping suffer from fluctuating pressure levels. The
operator may over-pump the sprayer and create excessive pressure or may under-pump
which results in insufficient pressure being produced. These changes in operating pressure
alter the flow through the nozzle and therefore the droplet size generated. A constant
pressure spray management valve positioned just before the nozzle can overcome these
variations in pressure (eg. SMV).

Advantages Disadvantages
• Suitable for spot spraying • Operator hazard – may leak, weight on
• For small operations back
• A range of nozzles can be used for • Variable pressure (unless SMV used),
target/pesticide combinations. variable flow rate
• Must be calibrated for each operation.

89
 CHAPTER 5. CALIBRATION
The objective when applying pesticides is to deliver the required amount of active
ingredient of the chemical to the desired target area. Regular calibration allows the
operator to check that each of the components of the sprayer is operating within acceptable
limits. It will also prevent over-dosing or under-dosing the target areas and reduce
unnecessary contamination of the environment.

Over-dosing occurs when more than the recommended amount of a pesticide or mixture of
pesticides is applied to the target area. This can result from hydraulic nozzle wear and
other faults resulting in increased flow rates, such as increased pressure and varying travel
speed.

Over-dosing results in:

• Wasting pesticides or products, time and money

• Possible damage to crops (Phytotoxicity)
• The possibly of exceeding product MRL’S
• Extra wear and tear on equipment
• Possibly reducing the effectiveness of the product
• Increased risk to non target area
• Increased risk of developing pest resistance to pesticides

Under dosing occurs when less than the recommended amount of active ingredient is
delivered to the target. This can be caused by blocked nozzles or filters and varying travel
speed. This problem is difficult to detect with the eye and often goes unnoticed until a
major blockage occurs.

Under dosing results in:

• Wasting chemicals, time and money

• Reduced effectiveness of the product or pesticide
• Increases the risk of development of resistance to insecticides and fungicides
• May cause production losses due to pest damage or competition

Regular calibration of equipment will help to identify and reduce these problems.

DO NOT RELY ON EXPERIENCE TO KNOW HOW FAR A TANK WILL

SPRAY.

EQUIPMENT CALIBRATION IS THE ONLY WAY TO CHECK THE

SPRAYER’S APPLICATION RATE PER AREA AND IDENTIFY PROBLEMS IN
THE UNIFORMITY OF OUTPUT.

90
 5.1 CALIBRATION TECHNIQUE
Calibrating a piece of equipment for the application of pesticides as droplets involves four
steps. These four steps are used in calibrating all types of sprayers including hand held
equipment, boom sprayers, air-assisted hydraulic and air-shear sprayers, misters and even
agricultural aircraft. The form used by Queensland’s Nursery and Garden Industry is
provided with which to perform relevant calculations. The basic principles of calibration
are discussed for collecting information. In the final section these principles are applied to
the major types of equipment.

N.B. It is important that accurate records are kept of the calibration process.

Before commencing calibration…

It is important to ensure that the sprayer is operating correctly before taking any
measurements of the sprayer’s performance. The equipment must be checked and adjusted
if necessary before calibration. The operator or supervisor should check the following:
• The sprayer is clean
• The pesticide label recommendations in relation to rates and safety requirements.
• The pressure gauge is operational (if fitted)
• Pressure regulator setting (if one is fitted)
• For leaks, blockages (i.e. spray lines and filters)
• Nozzle and sprayer description
• Environmental conditions
• That the equipment is the most suitable for the job

Steps for generalised sprayer calibration

A. Measure Sprayer Output (L/min)
The sprayer output is calculated by collecting and measuring the output of the nozzle(s) at
the operating pressure required, into a container for one minute. The output from all
nozzles should be measured. To reduce any errors this procedure should be performed at
least three times, then an average reading calculated.

The measured output of a nozzle is only acceptable if it varies by less than 10% from the
manufacturer’s new nozzle specifications. If the measured output of a nozzle varies by
more than 10% from the manufacturer’s new nozzle specifications, that nozzle should be
replaced.

91
 CALIBRATION SHEET

APPLICATION RATE

A = LIQUID FLOW (NOZZLE OUTPUT) FOR 1 MINUTE

NOZZLE OUTPUT/FLOWRATE = […………...] L/Min (A)

B = AREA (WIDTH X DISTANCE)

WIDTH (SWATH WIDTH) = [ ]
X (times)
DISTANCE TRAVELLED = [ ]

WIDTH x DISTANCE = […………...] M² (B)

C = APPLICATION RATE

A ÷ B x 10 000 = [ ] L/ha

[ ]÷[ ] x 10 000 = [ ] L/ha

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

D = AMOUNT OF CHEMICAL TO ADD TO THE TANK.

SPRAY TANK SIZE = [ ] Litres

APPLICATION RATE = [ ] L/ha(Above Answer)

CHEMICAL RATE = [ ] L/ha (Label Rate)

TANK SIZE ÷ APPLICATION RATE x CHEMICAL RATE = [ ]L

[ ]÷[ ]x[ ] =[ ]L

92
B. Calculate the Area Sprayed in Square Metres per Minute (m2/min)
Calculating the area sprayed during the calibration requires two activities:

1. The first information required is the sprayer/nozzle’s swath width in metres. Swath
width is the width of spray coverage that is effectively delivered by the nozzle(s) to the
target area, i.e. how wide the sprayer can effectively spray. For many plant nursery
situations the swath width can be taken as the width of the beds being sprayed.
2. The second measurement is the distance travelled (in metres) by the sprayer during one
minute. This is measured while actually spraying with water.

Plant Bed

Width =
Swath Width
Distance travelled in one minute

Direction of travel
Spray operator

The area sprayed in metres squared per minute (m2/min) is calculated from the swath width
and distance travelled using the formula on the calibration sheet:

C. Calculate the Sprayer’s Application Rate in Litres per Hectare (L / ha)

This step determines the sprayer’s output over a given area. For liquids this is known as the
application rate in Litres per hectare (L/ha). Registered pesticides must be applied at the
application rate specified on the label. The sprayer Application Rate is calculated by using
the data collected in steps A and B.

D. Calculate the Amount of Chemical Required per Spray Tank Volume

This is a critical step in the calibration procedure as it ensures that the recommended label
rates of pesticides are applied to target areas by determining the amount of chemical to be
added to the spray tank to make up the volume that is to be used.

To calculate the amount of pesticide to add to the required tank volume the following
information is needed.:

• Sprayer Application Rate (L/ha). (calculated in step C.)

• Registered Product Label Rate (L/ha or g/ha or kg/ha or L/100L or g/100L
or kg/100L as stated on the label)
• Tank Volume (L) for the amount of spray being prepared.

93
 5.2 HAND HELD SPRAYER CALIBRATION
CALIBRATION CHECKLIST FOR HAND HELD EQUIPMENT:

Ensure the sprayer is clean and filled with the required volume of water for the
exercise.

Check and Record the Operating Parameters (eg nozzle type, travel speed and height,
product rate and water rate).

Adjust the pressure setting to the required operating pressure or fit a Spray
Management Valve (SMV). Record the pressure.

Check the equipment for possible leaks and blockages.

Use a measuring cylinder or jug and collect the output from the nozzle(s) when the
sprayer is operating at the required pressure for one minute. For high pressure nozzles
it may be easier to place a small length of hose (eg. 1m) over the nozzle.

Record the volume collected for each nozzle.

Measure the nozzle output(s) for one minute and record the result two more times.

Work out the average output per minute for each nozzle from the three trials.

Check that all nozzles are not more than 10% above the manufacturer’s new nozzle
specifications. If they are more than 10% above replace them. If they are below this
indicates there is probably a blockage in the nozzle or the filters.

Record the total output from the nozzle(s) measured and record the result next to the
letter A.

Record the swath width of the sprayer. When spraying beds with a hand held nozzle the
swath width may be taken as the bed width.

Measure the distance travelled in one minute. This distance should be measured while
moving the nozzle in the desired fashion to achieve uniform coverage of the bed.

Calculate and record the sprayers application rate.

Record the label application rate.

Record the spray tank volume.

Calculate and record the amount of chemical required per spray tank volume.

94
 5.3 BOOM SPRAYER CALIBRATION
CHECK LIST FOR BOOM SPRAYER CALIBRATION.

Ensure the sprayer is clean and filled with the required volume of water for the
exercise.

Adjust the PTO revs and pressure setting to the required operating pressure.

Check and Record the Operating Parameters (eg. nozzle type, operating speed – gear,
engine revs and PTO revs, boom height, product rate and water rate).

Check the equipment for possible leaks and blockages.

Use a measuring cylinder or jug and collect the output from each of the nozzles when
the sprayer is operating at the required pressure for one minute.

Record the volume collected for each nozzle.

Measure the nozzle outputs for one minute and record the result two more times.

Work out the average output per minute for each nozzle from the three trials.

Check that all nozzles are not more than 10% above the manufacturers new nozzle
specifications. If they are more than 10% above replace them. If they are below this
indicates there is probably a blockage in the nozzle or the filters.

Record the total output from all of the nozzles measured and record the result next to
the letter A.

Record the swath width of the sprayer. When spraying beds with a hand held nozzle the
swath width may be taken as the bed width.

Measure the distance travelled in one minute. This distance should be measured while
moving the nozzle in the desired fashion to achieve uniform coverage of the bed.

Calculate and record the sprayers application rate.

Record the label application rate.

Record the spray tank volume.

Calculate and record the amount of chemical required per spray tank volume.

95
 5.4 CALIBRATION OF MISTERS (+ CDA )
CHECK LIST FOR MISTER CALIBRATION (+ CDA EQUIPMENT)

Ensure the sprayer is clean and the tank is filled with the required volume of water for
the exercise.

Check and Record the Operating Parameters eg engine (head rotation speed), travel
speed and height, product rate and water rate.

Adjust the engine speed (or the head rotation) setting to the that required for operating .

Check the equipment for possible leaks and blockages.

Detach the spray liquid feed from the reservoir at a point before it enters the nozzle
(CDA head). Use a measuring cylinder or jug to collect the output from the pipe when
the sprayer is operating at the required speed for one minute.

Record the volume collected for each feed pipe (on large misters and CDA machinery
there may be several).

Measure the feed pipe output(s) for one minute and record the result two more times.

Work out the average output per minute for each nozzle from the three trials. Then
work out a total output for the equipment when all are functioning together. Enter this
as “A” on the calibration sheet.

Record the swath width of the sprayer. In this case, swath width is the maximum
horizontal distance spray travels while still achieving effective coverage of the target.
This can be determined accurately with the use of water sensitive paper placed on the
target during a water test spray to check the number and size of droplets travelling to
the target. Water sensitive paper and information on using it should be available from
major pesticide suppliers. Enter the swath width on the calibration sheet for “B”.

Measure the distance travelled in one minute by the equipment. This distance should
be measured while moving the nozzle in the desired fashion to achieve uniform
coverage of the bed. Enter this on the calibration sheet for “B”.

Calculate and record the sprayers application rate “C”.

Record the label application rate.

Record the spray tank volume.

Calculate and record the amount of chemical required per spray tank volume “D”.

96
 CHAPTER 6. CASE STUDIES
The following section contains short case studies. These provide real examples of the
current practices from the nursery industry in relation to purchase, storage and handling of
agricultural pesticides. For each of the areas in which information was gathered, a rating
has been used to indicate the level of performance relative to best practice for the nursery
industry. Critical comments have also been provided for each case study to assist in
understanding the development of best practice.

THE KEY TO THE RATINGS USED IN THE INDUSTRY CASE STUDIES

CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION

RATINGS

MUST BE IMPROVED

COULD BE IMPROVED

REASONABLE PRACTICE

TOWARDS BEST PRACTICE

97
 Production Description: Main products include ornamentals OVERALL
(Gingers and Heliconias, Natives, Gardenias, Murrayas,
RATING
Case Study 1 Durantas, Allamandas, Cordylines Crotons). Produced in
shadehouses, igloo and open areas. 1/2
Operation Type: Wholesale only.
MANAGEMENT CURRENT OPERATION RATING
1. APPLICATION Sprayer Types: Hand pump sprayers for spot application
EQUIPMENT
& TECHNIQUES Calibration: Information not supplied.
Transport: Ute.

Storage: Locked refrigerator cabinet.

2. CHEMICAL
HANDLING, Personal Protective Equipment: For insecticides and all
STORAGE & mixing operations a washable hat, overalls, boots, gloves and
DISPOSAL respirator are used. For herbicides and fungicides a washable
hat, overalls and boots are used.
Disposal: Use remaining product on other produce (not usually
an issue).
General Operating Parameters: Information not supplied.
Typical Spraying Conditions:
Wind speed: nil – 5kph.
3. SPRAY DRIFT
Temperature: less than 32°C.
Humidity: Information not supplied.
Spray Drift Management Strategies: No strategies in place.
Training: Information not supplied.
4. OVERALL
MANAGEMENT Record Keeping: Information not supplied.
OF SPRAYING
OPERATIONS Emergency Procedures: Information not supplied.

CRITICAL COMMENTS (by management area)

1. Calibration of equipment essential and records of calibration and usage must be kept.
2. Chemical handling
i) Use of an old refrigerator cabinet is not recommended and it has no ventilation
ii) Eye protection, goggles or faceshield should be worn particularly when measuring or mixing
concentrates.
3. Records must be kept of all pesticide use and application methods and conditions.
4. Training of staff is required as are records and emergency procedures for managing spills must be in
place.

98
 Production Description: Main produce includes Gardenias, OVERALL
Lavenders and Herbs. Open areas used for production only.
Case Study 2 Glasshouse used for propagation.
RATING
Operation Type: Wholesale only.
MANAGEMENT CURRENT OPERATION RATING
1. APPLICATION Sprayer Types: High volume PTO sprayer with hand gun,
EQUIPMENT & Silvan 400 Lt.
TECHNIQUES Calibration: Variable cone nozzle on hydraulic hand gun.
Transport: Van.

Storage: In chemical store (no details given)

2. CHEMICAL
HANDLING, Personal Protective Equipment: Washable hat, overalls, boots,
STORAGE & gloves, goggles/face shield and respirator are used for
DISPOSAL insecticides (Bugmaster, Malathion, Rogor), herbicides
(Round up, Gesatop, Tryquat), fungicides (Kocide,
Bravo, Octave) and mixing operations.
Disposal: Only mix enough product for job requirements.
General Operating Parameters: Information not supplied.
Typical Spraying Conditions:
Wind speed: Not measured.
3. SPRAY DRIFT Temperature: less than 28°C.
Humidity: Not measured.
Spray Drift Management Strategies: Drift is not an issue,
therefore no strategies in place.
Training: All operators trained with Farm Chemical User
4. OVERALL ½
Course and Apprenticeships.
MANAGEMENTOF
Record Keeping: Handwritten onto a spread sheet
SPRAYING
Emergency Procedures: Dial 000, MSDS on hand, atropine on
OPERATIONS
site and Ipecac Syrup.

CRITICAL COMMENTS (By management area)

1. Hydraulic pressure variable nozzle hand guns are difficult to calibrate and usually results in uneven
dosing of the target with pesticide and run-off to waste.
2. Products need to be separated from driver/passengers during transport and the chemical store locked
and clearly placarded.
3. Operating parameters need to be measured and recorded. Spray drift is always an issue and must be
carefully considered.
4. Having atropine and Ipecac syrup on site is not recommended as it should only be administered under
medical supervision.

99
 Production Description: Main product lines include annual OVERALL
flowers, vegetables, seedlings and herbs. Produces in
Case Study 3 shadehouse, glasshouse and open areas.
RATING
Operation Type: Wholesale only.
MANAGEMENT CURRENT PRACTICE RATING
Sprayer Types: QuickSpray (2 x retractable reels (600L tank)
1. APPLICATION and 2 x 1600cc Kubota’s (200L tanks). ½
EQUIPMENT & Make & Model: Quickspray® 9TBE600, Kubota B5100E® and
TECHNIQUES B6100E.
Calibration: Regular calibration and equipment maintenance.
Transport: Tray truck.

Storage: Chemical storage shed.

2. CHEMICAL
HANDLING,
Personal Protective Equipment: Tyvek suits, boots, gloves
STORAGE &
(nitrile), goggles/face shield and respirator are used for all
DISPOSAL
insecticide, herbicide, fungicide and all mixing operations.
Disposal: Use excess on other crops. Operators don’t mix large
quantities, but prefer to go back and re-fill if more is required. ½
General Operating Parameters: Information not supplied.
Typical Spraying Conditions:
Wind speed: less than 10km.
Temperature: less than 26°C.
3. SPRAY DRIFT
Humidity: Not applicable.
Spray Drift Management Strategies: Not necessary due to our
location. We never spray when windy and most crops are under
cover.
Training: All operators are trained in the Farm Chemical Users
Course.
4. OVERALL Record Keeping: Spray Request Form: (Date, Operator/s,
MANAGEMENTOF Purpose of spray, Crops to spray, Litres required, Locations,
SPRAYING Chemical, Rate, Amount, Wetter, Unit Speed, Unit (equipment),
OPERATIONS Weather, Hours). All details recorded.
Emergency Procedures: Emergency showers, sand bags, safety
protocols and first-aid officer on site during all spray operations. ½

CRITICAL COMMENTS (By management area)

1. High volume hydraulic spraying can result in waste of pesticide and run-off to the environment.
2. The pesticide storage area needs to be locked, well ventilated and placarded .
3. Spray drift is always an issue requiring consideration and careful planning, even high volume
hydraulic sprayers produce some fines (small droplets prone to drift).
4. Emergency contact numbers and product MSDS sheets need to be available.

100
 Production Description: Main product lines include house OVERALL
plants, exotic shrubs (Gardenias and Natives). Produces in
Case Study 4 shadehouse, glasshouse and open areas.
RATING
Operation Type: Wholesale only.
MANAGEMENT CURRENT PRACTICE RATING
Sprayer Types: Annovi Reverbi AR 30 pressure sprayer with
1. APPLICATION 300 Litre tank, 2 hoses and reels with 2 turbo gun 400’s. Granule
EQUIPMENT& applicator (supplied with product) and knapsack sprayer used for
TECHNIQUES some herbicide operations.
Calibration: Information not supplied.
Transport: By suppliers vehicle – flat bed truck with secure
chemical box bolted to tray.
Storage: Secure locked room, shelved, ventilated and signed.
Personal Protective Equipment: PPE used for spraying
insecticides (Orthene Xtra®, Vertimec®, Pirimor WG®,
2. CHEMICAL Confidor® 200 SC, Kelthane®, Talstar® 80 SC) and fungicides
HANDLING, (Rovral® aquaflo, Fosject®, Wettabel Sulphur, Bravo® 720)
STORAGE & (including their related mixing operations) includes overalls with
DISPOSAL hood, boots, gloves and power helmet. Overalls with hood,
boots, gloves and respirator are used for Herbicide (Ronstar,
Rout, Weedmaster) operations. The same equipment is used for
mixing herbicides plus goggles/face shield.
Disposal: Extra pesticide is sprayed on other crops.
½
General Operating Parameters: 2.75 litres/minute @ 10 bar.
Typical Spraying Conditions: Do not have facilities to measure
conditions. Spraying ceases when considered to be ineffective or
3. SPRAY DRIFT
to produce too much drift.
Spray Drift Management Strategies: Do not spray when wind
is too strong or blowing from particular direction.
Training: All spray operators are ChemCert accredited.
Record Keeping: Will use computer records in future. Presently
4. OVERALL use record sheets (Weather Conditions, PPE, Name of Mix,
MANAGEMENTOF Trade Name, Quantity, Vat Volume, Area to be Sprayed, Plants
SPRAYING to be Sprayed, Plant Code, Size, Signature).
OPERATIONS Emergency Procedures: Office is always open when any spray
application occurs. Spill kits are supplied to contain any spills,
safety showers on site.

CRITICAL COMMENTS (By management area)

1. Calibration information for all sprayers is required and calibration needs to be repeated regularly.
2. Records of respirator cartridge usage need to be kept. Respirators and all other P.P.E. should be
carefully stored away from pesticides.
3. Environmental conditions before and during spraying should be measured. A pressure of 10 Bar will
produce a lot of small droplets which may drift out of the target area.
4. Emergency numbers and MSDS information for products should be available.

101
 Production Description: Indoor plants. Produces in OVERALL
RATING
Case Study 5 shadehouses.
Operation Type: Wholesale only.
1/2
MANAGEMENT CURRENT PRACTICE RATING
Sprayer Types: Optima Croplands
1. APPLICATION Make and Model: Silvan 300 litre tank. Pump and
EQUIPMENT & motor(HR30TG) 5 ½ Honda motor
TECHNIQUES Calibration: Output of machinery? 6L every 46 seconds
Transport: Delivery truck

Storage: In a chemical shed ½

Personal Protective Equipment: For insecticide (Endosulfan,
2. CHEMICAL Lannate®, Verdimec®) and fungicide (Copper, Dithane®,
HANDLING, Sulphur) operations a washable hat, overalls, boots, gloves,
STORAGE &
½
sunglasses and respirator are used. For herbicide operations
DISPOSAL (Roundup®) overalls, boots, gloves and respirator are used.
Overalls, boots, gloves, face shield, respirator and apron are used
for mixing operations.
Disposal: Respray over the crop or target area
General Operating Parameters:Information not supplied
Typical Spraying Conditions:
Wind speed: less than 30 km/h
Temperature: less than 32°C
3. SPRAY DRIFT Humidity: 65% or higher

Spray Drift Management Strategies: Fibre glass walls and

trees ½
Training: All operators have been trained through ChemCert
4. OVERALL Record Keeping: Record keeping sheets (Date, crop type, pest
MANAGEMENTOF or problem, area treated, amount of mix used, notes, results,
SPRAYING name of operator, signature).
OPERATIONS Emergency Procedures: Bucket, shovel, plastic bags and
broom are all kept for spills. Shower is close by.

CRITICAL COMMENTS (By management area)

1. Spraying equipment needs to be calibrated and records kept.
2. The pesticide storage area needs to be well ventilated, locked and well placarded.
3. Operating conditions, including equipment settings need to be recorded for all operations.

102
 Production Description: Outdoor trees, shrubs and OVERALL
Case Study 6 groundcovers. Produces in shadehouse and open areas.
Operation Type: Wholesale only.
RATING

MANAGEMENT CURRENT PRACTICE RATING

1. APPLICATION Sprayer Types: Hydraulic spray pump, PTO-driven, Hardi
EQUIPMENT & mistblower.
TECHNIQUES Calibration: Information not supplied.
Transport: Delivered by supplier.

2. CHEMICAL Storage: Chemical shed.

HANDLING, Personal Protective Equipment: Overalls, boots, gloves,
STORAGE & goggles/face shield and respirator used for all insecticide,
DISPOSAL herbicide and fungicide applications.
Disposal: Extra product used on stock gardens.
½
General Operating Parameters: Information not supplied.
Typical Spraying Conditions:
Wind speed: When leaves are blowing across ground. And when
spray may drift towards sensitive areas.
3. SPRAY DRIFT
Temperature: Done early morning.
Humidity: N/A.
Spray Drift Management Strategies: Shadehouses near
perimeter of nursery.
Training: All operators have been ChemCert accredited.
4. OVERALL
MANAGEMENTOF
Record Keeping: New Industry Spray Diary.
SPRAYING
Emergency Procedures: MSDS sheets available, emergency
OPERATIONS
shower. ½

CRITICAL COMMENTS (By management area)

1. The term “mistblower” is confusing, it might refer to an air-shear sprayer or an air assisted hydraulic
sprayer (most likely the second).
2. The storage area for pesticides needs to be locked and well ventilated.
3. Records must be kept of operating conditions and the calibration of equipment.
4. A spill kit is also required along with emergency contact numbers.

103
 Production Description: Main product lines include plant
seedlings (vegetables, potted colour, specialised flowers, pot OVERALL
RATING
Case Study 7 plants), herbs, tropical foliage plants, trees and shrubs. 70 acre
orchard. Produces in shadehouse, glasshouse and open areas.
Operation Type: Wholesale and retail.
1/2
MANAGEMENT CURRENT PRACTICE RATING
Sprayer Types: Small pneumatic sprayers, knapsack for small
1. PPLICATION
use areas, 450 L spray carts from tractor, PTO-driven.
EQUIPMENT &
Make and Model: Mostly all Hardi equipment. N/A
TECHNIQUES
Calibration: Information not supplied.
Transport: Suppliers vehicle (truck or heavy ute).
Storage: Locked, brick shed, plus separate locked compartment
for some chemicals. The shed is specially constructed for
spillage and has concrete bunding.
Personal Protective Equipment: For insecticide (Orthene,
2. CHEMICAL Pounce, Lannate), herbicide (Rout, Gramoxone), fungicide
HANDLING, (Zibeb, Saprol, Kocide) and mixing (not insecticides)
STORAGE & operations the PPE used includes washable hat, disposable ½
DISPOSAL overalls, boots, gloves, goggles and respirator. The same is used
for Roundup and mixing insecticides minus the washable hat,
and potentially no goggles for the Roundup.
Disposal: Excess spray is sometimes dispersed over grassed
wasteland away from drains, creeks etc. or collected in a sump
from rinsing operations.
General Operating Parameters: Ceramic Nozzles, at 100 psi
(5L/min)
Typical Spraying Conditions:
Wind speed: By observation. Weather station phoned daily.
Temperature: less than 27°C if possible.
3. SPRAY DRIFT
Humidity: Difficult in houses, but good drying day essential.
When chemical can’t dry, we won’t spray. We phone for dew ½
point if in doubt.
Spray Drift Management Strategies: Shadehouses have
sidewalls mostly. Vegetation screens are planted for open areas.
Training: All spray operators are ChemCert accredited.
Record Keeping: Record sheet (Date, Crops, Chemical,
Rate/litre, Reason, Start & Finish time, Operators Signature).
4. OVERALL Emergency Procedures: Showers, eye wash and workplace
MANAGEMENTOF health and safety officer on site. Spillage bucket, MSDS and
SPRAYING emergency contact numbers available.
OPERATIONS Extra Notes: All personnel using pesticides have blood samples
taken at the firm’s expense annually by a visiting doctor. The list
of chemicals used is forwarded to the Doctor no person to date
has been found to be in any danger.

CRITICAL COMMENTS (By management area)

1. Calibration of all equipment is essential and records should be kept.
2. The same PPE for all products is recommended as good practice to avoid confusion.
3. A full record of operating conditions is necessary for all applications of pesticide.
4. The overall management is very good.

104
 Production Description: Main product lines include Roses and OVERALL
RATING
Case Study 8 Topiary. Produces in shadehouse and open areas.
Operation Type: Wholesale only.
1/2
MANAGEMENT CURRENT PRACTICE RATING
1. APPLICATION Sprayer Types: Quickspray unit.
EQUIPMENT &
TECHNIQUES Calibration: Information not supplied.
Transport: Delivered by company of purchase

Storage: In a steel locked shed.

2. CHEMICAL Personal Protective Equipment: Overalls, Boots, Gloves, ½
HANDLING, Goggles/face shield and respirators are used for insecticides
STORAGE & (Confidor, Lorsban Talstar), herbicides (Basta, Rout,
DISPOSAL Afalon), fungicides (Dithane, Ridomil, Topas) for mixing
and spraying operations.
Disposal: We don’t have any, all our chemicals are always
bought on demand. Not Assessable
General Operating Parameters: No information given.
Typical Spraying Conditions:
Wind speed: We have to judge wind speed.
3. SPRAY DRIFT Temperature: Generally we do not spray above 30°C.
Humidity: Not Applicable.
Spray Drift Management Strategies: No strategies as we do
not spray when weather conditions are unsuitable. ½
Training: All are either qualified or trained in the Farm
4. OVERALL Chemical Users Course.
MANAGEMENTOF Record Keeping: All records are kept in a book, for every spray
SPRAYING application.
OPERATIONS Emergency Procedures: We have a shower, fire extinguisher
and emergency phone number. ½

CRITICAL COMMENTS (By management area)

1. Calibration of equipment must be carried out frequently and records kept.
2. The pesticide storage area needs to be well ventilated, appropriately signed and locked.
3. Records of operating conditions need to be kept and the management of spray drift carefully
considered
4. A spill management kit should be available at the mixing and loading site/s.

105
 Production Description: Main products include Fuscias,
Hibiscus, Hydrangeas, Bougainvillea, Australian natives and OVERALL
RATING
Case Study 9 Outdoor shrubs. Produce in shadehouse, glasshouse (propagation
only), open areas and igloo. Total area 2.3ha.
Operation Type: Wholesale only.
1/2
MANAGEMENT CURRENT PRACTICE RATING
1. APPLICATION Sprayer Types: High Volume Sprayer, AR 30 SP (Annovi
EQUIPMENT & Reverberi) Pressure Pump – powered by Kubota.
TECHNIQUES Calibration: Information not supplied.
Transport: Truck

Storage: Locked Shed

2. CHEMICAL Personal Protective Equipment: Disposable overalls, rubber
HANDLING, boots, disposable gloves and respirator used for insecticide
STORAGE & (Maverick, Confidor, Supracide), herbicide (Glyphosate, ½
DISPOSAL Spray seed, Ronstar) and fungicide (Baycor 300, Alliette,
Ridomil) operations.
Disposal: Only mix required amount of chemical. Any excess is ½
sprayed onto stock plants as a preventative.
General Operating Parameters: Information not supplied.
Typical Spraying Conditions:
Wind speed: Information not supplied.
3. SPRAY DRIFT Temperature: Summer months early morning or evening.
Humidity: Information not supplied.
Spray Drift Management Strategies: Information not supplied
Training: All spray operators participate in the Industry
4. OVERALL
Training Refresher every 2/3 years.
MANAGEMENTOF
Record Keeping: Chemical record book (Date, Chemical Used,
SPRAYING
Rate & Quantity Mixed, Plants Sprayed, Operator).
OPERATIONS
Emergency Procedures: No procedures.

CRITICAL COMMENTS (By management area)

1. Calibration of spraying equipment and the keeping of records are both essential.
2. A well-ventilated and signed pesticide storage area required. Transport truck needs to be adequately
managed.
3. Measurement of operating conditions when spraying and keeping records is important.
4. Emergency procedures including contact numbers and an emergency spill kit need to be available.

106
 OVERALL
Case Study Production Description: Product lines include Semi-advanced
and advanced plants, produced in open areas only. RATING
10 Operation Type: Wholesale only.
1/2
MANAGEMENT CURRENT PRACTICE RATING
Sprayer Types: Contract sprayers using hand lances and boom
1. APPLICATION sprayer. Also 4WD bike with CDA equipment. ½
EQUIPMENT & Make & Model: Quickspray (400 Lt). 3Pt. Linkage Silvan
TECHNIQUES boom and 1200 Undavina CDA.
Calibration: Information not supplied.
Transport: Chemical company delivers via trucks

Storage: Lockable cabinet in locked shed ½

Personal Protective Equipment: For all insecticide
2. CHEMICAL (Endosulfan, Folimat 800, Mavrik), herbicide (Roundup,
HANDLING, Gesatop 560, Ronstar), fungicides (Bravo 720, Bacor 300
STORAGE & and Copper oxy) and mixing operations overalls, boots, gloves,
DISPOSAL goggles/face shield and respirator or power helmet are used.
Disposal: Very rare to have remaining product, but if necessary
it is emptied onto grassy area near washdown site if not used up
on another suspect crop, or if herbicide stored in drums in spray
shed.
General Operating Parameters: Information not given.
Typical Spraying Conditions:
Wind speed: Information not supplied.
3. SPRAY DRIFT Temperature: less than 30°C. ½
Humidity: 50% or higher.
Spray Drift Management Strategies: Boundary plantings and
windbreaks.
Training: Some operators have been trained in the Farm
chemical users course.
Record Keeping: Spray Record Sheet (Date, Area Ref., Crop,
4. OVERALL Weed/Pest/Disease Targeted, Chemicals & Additives used,
MANAGEMENTOF Recommended Rate, Litres of Spray Applied, Temperature, ½
SPRAYING Signature).
OPERATIONS Emergency Procedures: MSDS sheets easily accessible, colour
tags to be worn when spraying eg. if S6 – yellow tag. Up to date
first aid cabinet – IPECAC and Atropine tablets, long life milk.
Trained first aiders on site.

CRITICAL COMMENTS (By management area)

1. Calibration of spraying equipment needs to be carried out regularly and records kept. Contractors
should be asked to supply records of their activities.
2. The pesticide storage cabinet should be well ventilated and signed.
3. Operating conditions during spraying should be measured and recorded.
4. All operators should be ChemCert accredited. Ipecac syrup and atropine should not be available as
they can only be used under direct medical supervision.

107
 Production Description: Main product lines include annuals OVERALL
Case Study and vegetables. Specialises in one speicies of flowering plant. RATING
Produces in shadehouse, glasshouse and open areas.
11 Operation Type: Wholesale only.
MANAGEMENT CURRENT PRACTICE RATING
Sprayer Types: 200 litre Spray Machine Hardi Pump. Also 8/t
1. APPLICATION ½
Hozelock handspray used at times (for glasshouse and open
EQUIPMENT &
areas only).
TECHNIQUES
Calibration: Information not supplied.
Transport: Ute.

Storage: In certified storage which complies with American and

Australian Standards.
2. CHEMICAL
Personal Protective Equipment: Overalls, boots, gloves and
HANDLING,
respirators are used for insecticide (Ambush®, Mavrik®,
STORAGE &
Pirimor®), herbicide (Roundup®, Gesatop®) and fungicide ½
DISPOSAL
(Dithane®, Bavistan®, Exparen®) operations. Mixing information
not included.
Disposal: Excess is shared between growers or disposed of in a
separate chemical drainage system.
General Operating Parameters: Information not supplied.
Typical Spraying Conditions:
Wind speed: Moderate.
3. SPRAY DRIFT Temperature: less than 30°C.
Humidity: Humidity in Melbourne not an issue. ½
Spray Drift Management Strategies: All staff are notified of
spraying to vacate area. No Entry signage erected.
Training: All operators are trained in the Farm Chemical Users
4. OVERALL course or in the house training manual.
MANAGEMENTOF Record Keeping: Record sheets include Spray List, Chemicals
SPRAYING Used, Chemical Manifest, Water Treatment, Drenching Sheet.
OPERATIONS Emergency Procedures: No information supplied.

CRITICAL COMMENTS (By management area)

1. Calibration of all pesticide application equipment is essential and records must be kept.
2. Disposal: It is not advisable to store pesticide mixtures; mixing can be the most hazardous time when
using pesticides and mixing and use protocols need to be in place.
3. Environmental conditions at the time of pesticide application must be measured and recorded.
4. Emergency numbers and a spill kit need to be available.

108
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Horticulture Australia for providing funding.
The Nursery & Garden Industry Queensland for feedback.
Mr John McDonald, Nursery Industry Development Officer for comments drafts.
Ian Atkinson, former National Nursery Industry Development Officer for comments drafts.
Dr Jamie Nicholls, Senior Research Officer, CPAS for comments on drafts.
Mr Matthew Jones, Research Assistant, CPAS for images and graphics.

The Centre for Pesticide Application and Safety (CPAS) would also like to thank the
following Nurseries for their assistance and contributions to this manual:

Pohlmans Nursery Pty Ltd Gatton QLD 4343

Naylors Nursery QLD 4207

Harts Nursery Pty Ltd Rochedale QLD 4123

Marlborough Nursery Pty Ltd QLD 4705

Woodlyn Nursery Pty Ltd Five Ways VIC 3977

Floriana Pty Ltd Keysborough VIC 3137

TGA Australia Pty Ltd Somerville VIC 3912

Swanview Plant Farm High Wycombe WA 6057

Rankins Nursery Pty Ltd Officer VIC 3809

Combined Nursery Sales Baxter VIC 3911

Chavallum Wholesale Nursery Palmwoods QLD 4555

109
 REFERENCES
Barret, M. , Boldra, C., Chalmers, I., Henderson, R., and Keighly, V. Agsafe Accreditation
Training Manual. Canberra: Agsafe Limited, 2002.

Bartok, J. W. Jr. 1996, ‘Guidelines for safe pesticide storage’, Greenhouse Management &
Production, May, pp.56-57.

ChemCert Queensland 2002, Learning Guide for Flexible Delivery of Accreditation in The
Farm Chemical Use Competency Units, ChemCert Training Queensland Inc., Queensland.

Day, L. G., Hock, W. K. and MacAlpine, G. 1999, Agsafe Accreditation Training Manual,
A Subsidiary of Avcare Limited, Canberra.

Department of Natural Resources, Queensland, 1997, Planning Guidelines: Separating

Agricultural and Residential Land Uses.

Department of Natural Resources, Queensland, DNRQ 97088.

DrumMUSTER 2002, Effective Rinsing of Farm Chemical Containers.

Available at: http://www.drummuster.com.au/content.asp
Houseworth, L. D. 1998, ‘pH Balanced’, American Nurseryman, May, pp. 44-45.

Radcliff, J. C. 2002, Pesticide Use in Australia. Australian Academy of Technological

Sciences and Engineering, Ian McLennan House, Victoria.

110
111
 APPENDIX 1. CONTACT DETAILS
(Alphabetically Listed)

DISPOSAL OF USED PESTICIDE CONTAINERS

DRUM MUSTER
Website: www.drummuster.com.au, and
www.qff.org.au/Policies/Environment/chemicals

Head Office
Level 2, AMP Building 1 Hobart Place Bill Davis (Northern Queensland)
Canberra ACT 2601 PO Box 1025, Innisfail QLD 4860
GPO 816 Canberra City ACT 2601 Phone: (07) 4063 3879
Phone: (02) 6230 6712 Fax: (07) 4063 3634
Fax: (02) 6230 6713 Mobile: 0407 691 760
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Regional Field Officers Susan Wright (Northern NSW and

David Jesse (South Australia) Southern Queensland
PO Box 719, Victor Harbour SA 5211 PO Box 852, Moree NSW 2400
Phone: (08) 8554 7268 Phone: (02) 6752 7627
Fax: (08) 8554 7268 Fax: (02) 6752 7628
Mobile: 0409 834 113 Mobile: 0428 526 330
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Bevan Henderson (Western Australia) Don Matthews (Victoria)

11 Lakeview Drive, Gidgegannup WA PO Box 6004, Cromer VIC 3193
6083 Phone: (03) 9589 3087
Phone: (08) 9574 6409 Fax: (03) 9515 0596
Fax: (08) 9574 6680 Mobile: 0412 358 871
Mobile: 0429 089 780 Email: [email protected]]
Email: [email protected]

LEGISLATION
Australasian Legal Information Institute
Website: www.austlii.edu.au

NEW SOUTH WALES

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Pollution Line: 13 15 55
Pesticides Unit: 02 9995 5799
Pesticide Officers are located at the following EPA offices:
Sydney, Phone: 02 9995 5789
Parramatta, Phone: 02 9995 6823
Dubbo, Phone: 02 6884 9757
Grafton, Phone: 02 6640 2500
Griffith, Phone: 02 6964 1880

112
Moree, Phone: 02 6751 1519
Newcastle, Phone: 02 4926 9971
Queanbeyan, Phone: 02 6122 3100
Tamworth, Phone: 02 6766 7871

Nursery & Garden Industry, NSW and ACT

Mr Don Ainsworth, Executive Officer
Mr Michael Danelon, Industry Development Officer
344-348 Annangrove Road
PO Box 13, Rouse Hill NSW 2155
Phone: (02) 9679 1472. Fax: (02) 9679 1655
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.ozemail.com.au/~nian

NORTHERN TERRITORY
Nursery & Garden Industry, Northern Territory
PO Box 348
Palmerston, NT 0831

QUEENSLAND
DPI Call Centre
Phone: 13 25 23 (Ask to speak to the appropriate policy officer within the DPI Animal and
Plant Health Service.)
Nursery & Garden Industry, Queensland
Mr Donald Scotts, Executive Officer
Mr John McDonald, Industry Development Officer
Cnr Orange Grove & Riawena Roads
PO Box 345, Salisbury QLD 4107
Phone: (07) 3277 7900. Fax: (07) 3277 7109
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.ngiq.asn.au

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Nursery & Garden Industry, South Australia
Mr Geoff Fuller, Executive Officer
Ms Edda Keskula, Industry Development Officer
17 Wirriga Street, Regency Park SA 5942
PO Box 2420, Regency Park SA 5942
Phone: (08) 8445 9779. Fax: (08) 8445 8199
Email: [email protected]

TASMANIA
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals
Questions concerning this site can be sent by mail to:
GPO Box 44, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia 7001
Phone: 03 6233 6825
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/ThemeNodes/EGIL-52N435?open

Nursery & Garden Industry, Tasmania

113
9 Frederick Street, Perth TAS 7300
PO Box 17, Lauceston, TAS 7250
Phone: (03) 6248 6863. Fax: (03) 6398 2474

VICTORIA
Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Regional Chemical Standards
Jim Stranger, Environment Regional Chemical Standards Officer (RCSO)
Phone: 03 5172 2111. Mobile: 0408 962 191

Nursery Industry Association of Victoria

David Gordon, Executive Officer
Mr Robert Chin and Mr Allan Hollensen, Industry Development Officers
3/307 Wattle Tree Road, East Malvern VIC 3145
PO Box 431, Caulfield, East Vic 3145
Phone: (03) 9576 0599. Fax: (03) 9576 0431
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.niav.com.au

WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Health (Pesticides) Regulations
Lindsay Gillam, Manager, Pesticide Safety Section, Environmental Health Service, WA
Department of Health
PO Box 8172, Perth Business Centre, WA 6849
Phone: (08) 9383 3988. Fax: (08) 9383 1819
Email: [email protected]

Aerial Spraying Control Act 1966, and Agriculture and Related Resources Protection
(Spraying Restrictions) Regulations 1979
Peter Rutherford, Chemicals Coordinator, WA Department of Agriculture
Locked Bag No 4, Bentley Delivery Centre, WA 6983
Phone: (08) 9368 3688, Fax: (08) 9474 2408
Email: [email protected]

Agricultural Produce (Chemical Residues) Act 1983

Farran Dixon, Senior Veterinary Officer, WA Department of Agriculture
PO Box 1231, Bunbury, WA 6230
Phone: (08) 9780 6202 Fax: (08) 9780 6136
Email: [email protected]

Nursery & Garden Industry, Western Australia

Ms Libby Gaggin, Executive Officer
Mr Sandy Pate, Industry Development Officer
Fraser Ave., Kings Partk WEST PERTH 6005
Phone: (08) 9485 1144. Fax: (08) 9485 1544
Email: [email protected]

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PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Agsafe Limited
Level 2, AMP Tower, 1 Hobart Place, Canberra City, ACT 2601
GPO Box 816, Canberra City ACT 2601
Phone: (02) 6230 4799
Fax: (02) 6230 6710

ChemCert Training Queensland Inc.

Ms Cath Summersell, Executive Officer and Queensland Secretary
Plant Protection Bld, The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus
GATTON QLD 4343
Phone: (07) 5460 1295
Fax: (07) 5460 1283
Mobile: 0427 732 886
Email: [email protected]

ChemCert National Secretatary Ms Meredie Johnson (SA)

Mr Neil Jacobson, Executive Manager GPO Box 1671
PO Box 440 Adelaide, SA 5001
Kingston, ACT 2604 Phone: 08 8226 0514
Phone: 02 6273 0477 Email:
Email: [email protected] [email protected]

Secretariat by State Mr David Stephenson (SA)

Ms Julie McAlpin (NSW) GPO Box 1671
249 Bronte Rd Adelaide, SA 5001
Waverley, NSW 2024 Phone: 08 8226 0587
Phone: 02 9837 4746 Email:
Email: [email protected] [email protected]

Mr John Newperson (NSW) Ms Janis Hadley(WA)

249 Bronte Rd 88 Westview Rd
Waverley, NSW 2024 Scarborough, WA 6019
Phone: 02 9837 4746 Phone: 08 9341 5325
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Ms Bronwyn Penna (VIC) Ms Christina Downes (NT)

PO Box 889 NT Rural College, PBM 155
Warragul, VIC 3820 Katharine, NT 0852
Phone: 03 5622 2055 Phone: 08 8973 8346
Email: [email protected] Email:
[email protected]
Mr Bob Gray (VIC)
PO Box 889 Mr Zich Woinarski (TAS)
Warragul, VIC 3820 PO Box 193
Phone: 03 5622 2055 196 Cimitiere St
Email: [email protected] Launceston, TAS 7250
Phone: 03 6331 2131
Email: [email protected]

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Chemfinder
Website: chemfinder.cambridgesoft.com/
Cornell University Pesticide Active Ingredient information
Website: www.pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/index.html
Extonet Pesticide Information Profiles
Website: www.ace.orst.edu/info/extoxnet/pips/ghindex.html
Farnell Components
(Suppliers in electronical, electrical and industrial components)
Location: 72 Ferndell st, Chester Hill NSW 2162
Private Mail Bag 6, Chester Hill NSW 2162

National Registration Authority for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (NRA)

Phone: 02 6272 5158 (Switch and general enquiries)
NRA PUBCRIS – Registered Product Database
Website: www.nra.gov.au/pubcris/subpage_%20pubcris.shtml

Standards Australia
Customer Service Centre
GPO Box 5420 Sydney NSW 2001
Phone: 1300 654 646. Fax: 1300 654 949
Email: [email protected]

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 APPENDIX 2. GLOSSARY OF PESTICIDE TERMS

COMMON ABBREVIATIONS
AVPMA Agricultural and Veterinary Medicines Authority, previously known as
the NRA (National Registration Authority)

EC Emulsifiable Concentrate – a liquid pesticide formulation

IPM Integrated Pest Management

MSDS Material Safety Data Sheet

MRL Maximum Residue Level

OC Organo-Chlorine pesticide

OP Organo-Phosphate pesticide

SC Suspended Concentrate – a liquid pesticide formulation

SP Soluble Powder pesticide formulation

SP Synthetic Pyrethroid pesticide

ULV Ultra Low Volume sprays, usually oil based

DEFINED TERMS
Acetone A volatile solvent, such as that used in many nail
polish removers.

Acidic A low pH (< 7). Eg. vinegar is mildly acidic, sulphuric

acid is very acidic.

Active Constituent That part of a farm chemical formulation that is

biologically active on the pest target.

Adjuvant A secondary “helper” chemical added to improve the

effectiveness of a pesticide spray

Aerosol Fine droplets, small enough to stay suspended in air

Alkaline A high pH (> 7). Eg. bore water is mildly acidic,

Sodium hydroxide (table salt) is very alkaline.

Anionic Negatively charged (ions).

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Anti-foaming agent A substance added to a formulation to prevent
excessive foam forming during mixing ingredients.

Buffering agent A chemical which, when added to a solution, has the

ability to resist changes to pH or hydrogen ion
concentrations . Acidifying buffers are used to counter
alkaline bore water supplies that can improve spray
solution stability and performance.

Cationic Positively charged (ions).

Diffusion The spreading and penetration of particles by natural

movement into space that may be enclosed as in the
case of respirator filter elements.

Dispersal The process of spreading a population usually by

seeds or spores.

Efficacy A measure of how well a product does the job it was

designed to do.

Emulsifiable Concentrate A chemical formulation consisting of an active

constituent dissolved in an organic solvent together
with an emulsifier to facilitate the formation of an
even milky emulsion when mixed with water.

Flowable Concentrate Sometimes called Suspension Concentrates. These are

suspensions of finely milled solid active particles
mixed with and suspended usually in water that can be
measured out by liquid volume.

Formulation The make up of the farm chemical as purchased. It

consists of the active constituent(s) together with a
number of other components that are added to assist
handling, efficacy, safety and stability.

Hydrolysis The breakdown of the active ingredient over time,

when mixed in poor quality water.

Integrated Pest Management The co-ordinated use of all available pest management
methods to keep pest populations below economic
injury levels.

Larvae Immature or young stage of a an insect that has a

pupal, or resting stage such as a caterpillar or beetle.

Life-Cycle The successive life stages of a plant or animal as they

progress from birth to death.

Maximum Residue Limit The maximum legal amount of chemical residue

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(MRL) expressed in parts per million that is permitted to be
present in marketed produce. No chemical is given
clearance for use on a crop or animal unless a MRL
has previously been established.

Mode of action How the agrochemical actually works. Eg. nerve

poison.

Non-ionic A molecule that does not ionise when placed in water.

Nearly all wetting agents used in agriculture are non-
ionic.

Nymph Immature stage of an insect that does not have a pupal

or resting stage such as a caterpillar. Eg. Green
vegetable bug

pH A measure of acidity, low pH’s are acidic (< 7), high

pH’s are alkaline (> 7).

Phytotoxic A damage response to applying agrochemical, such as

a chemical burn.

Resistance The appearance of a high level of tolerance to a

pesticide in a pest species. This is likely to occur when
the pest population has been subject to high selection
pressure by repeated exposure to pesticides with a
similar mode of action.

Selective chemicals Pesticides that have the ability to selectively target a

pest without affecting the crop in which the pest is
present.

Sequestering Agent In formulations , adjuvants designed to differentially

combine with certain metallic elements, isolate them
in soluble compounds and prevent the precipitation of
solid particles which could cause blockages in filters
and nozzles.

Soluble Powder A chemical formulation which is packaged as a

powder and which dissolves completely in water to
form a spray solution.

Stable/stability Meteorological conditions when little or no wind

occurs. Not suitable for spraying.

Stickers An adjuvant added to a product to reduce run off.

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Solution A liquid containing one or more compounds in a
completely homogenous state. Usually refers to
chemicals dissolved in and mixed with water—an
aqueous solution.

Surfactant Short for “ Surface Active Agent”. This term is used to

describe wetting agents, stickers and spreaders.
Usually non-ionic when used with farm chemicals.

Suspension Concentrate See Flowable Concentrate.

Synergist A chemical which increases the biological effect of

another when the two are mixed.

Synthetic pyrethroids, Insecticide that acts as a nerve poison. They work the
Organophosphates and same way on humans as they do on insects.
Carbamates

Target The place where the spray should be directed, which

depends on how the product actually works (ie. it’s
mode of action).

Translocated Herbicides Once applied, these products will move within the
plant to the site of action.

Water Miscible Another liquid which is able to mix completely with

water to form a homogenous mixture.

Wettable Powder A chemical formulation designed to form a suspension

when mixed with water to make up a pesticide spray
solution.

Wetter See Surfactant.

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 APPENDIX 3. PESTICIDE ACTIVITY GROUPS AND
STRATEGIES TO AVOID PESTICIDE RESISTANCE
The following pages are a list of the major groups of pesticide chemicals published by
Avcare Australia. These are grouped by target into insecticides, fungicides and herbicides,
and each is described in terms of its activity on the target organism, usually the disruption
of a metabolic pathway. Also included is a description of management strategies to avoid
pests developing resistance to pesticides and practical examples from the nursery Industry.

Table 7. Insecticides listed by activity group.

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Table 8. Fungicides listed by activity group.

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Fungicides listed by activity group (continued…2)

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Table 9. Fungicidal pesticides and their activities (continued…3)

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Table 10. Herbicides listed by activity group

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Insecticide resistance management strategies

126
Avcare recommended resistance strategy examples

127