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Proper calibration of agricultural pesticide application Example 1:A farmer wants a use rate of 1 to 32 (1:32)
equipment can mean the difference in control or failure of a given pesticide. Again, this simply means 1 gallon
of a pesticide against the targeted pest and potentially of the product will cover 32 acres. If you want to know
thousands of dollars of savings to the grower. Many the actual use rate of the product in ounces per acre for
growers are now using rate controllers; however, it is a 1:32 rate, simply divide 128 (which is the number of
imperative to check the accuracy of these rate controllers, ounces in 1 gallon) by 32 (for a result of 4). Therefore,
as well as application accuracy for equipment that does the grower is applying 4 ounces of product per acre.
not have a rate controller. This publication will address Conversely, if you know the use rate in ounces of
many common questions about specific types of calibration product per acre, you can simply divide 128 by the use
and provide examples expressed in a straightforward and rate in ounces (in our example it is 4), and you will get
simple format. 32.Now youre back to 1:32.
What is 1 gallon to X acres? Example 2: You can also use the active ingredient (a.i.)
This is a common question from entry-level personnel rates to get the same answer. For example:If a given
in the industry. Most are not taught this in school; pesticide is a 4EC (contains 4 pounds active ingredient per
however, it is the most commonly used expression of rates gallon of formulated product) and the use rate is 0.04 lb.
among growers and consultants.It isverycommon in the a.i. per acre, you can simply divide the 4 by the use rate of
agricultural world to hear 1 to 40 (1:40), 1 to 90 (1:90), or 0.04 a.i per acre and get 100. So, in this example, the rate
similar.This simply means that 1 gallon (or pound if a dry would be 1:100. To determine the use rate in ounces, again
formulation) of the product will cover X number of acres. divide 128 by 100 and you get 1.28 ounce of actual product
This likely came about because it is easier to know how per acre.
much chemical to purchase when expressed this way. If
you want to turn a grower off quickly, start quoting rates 1:100 = 0.04 a.i. lb. acre = 1.28 oz. of product
in pounds of active ingredient per acre.
Calibrating broadcast sprayers gallons of water you put in the tank, you need to add 4
There are many ways to calibrate sprayers. The ounces of insecticide. In our 500-gallon tank example,
following is one of the commonly used formulas. you would have to add 200 ounces of insecticide (500/10
= 50 and 50 x 4 oz. = 200 oz.). To get this number back to
MPH x NSI x GPA gallons, divide 200 ounces by 128 (number of ounces in 1
GPM = ___________________
5940 gallon) to get 1.6 gallons again.
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Extension Service of Mississippi State University, cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published in
furtherance of Acts of Congress, May 8 and June 30, 1914. GARY B. JACKSON, Director