Pesticides Appliances

A sprayer is a machine used to apply liquid chemicals to plants to control pests and diseases. It can
also be used to apply herbicides to control weeds and to spray micronutrients to enhance plant
growth. The main functions of a sprayer are
✓ Breaking the chemical solution into fine droplets of effective size.
✓ Distributing the droplets uniformly over the plants.
✓ Applying the chemicals with sufficient pressure for positive reaching the plants
✓ Regulating the amount of liquid applied to plants to avoid excessive application.

A variety of high-volume sprayers are available in the market. Almost all types of high-volume
sprayers have some kind of pump to supply pressurized spray liquid to the hydraulic nozzle which
breaks the liquid into spray droplets and throws the spray away from it. The high-volume sprayers
are both manually operated or power operated type. The main function of a sprayer is to atomize the
spray fluid into small droplets and eject it with some force.

BASIC COMPONENTS OF A SPRAYER

The components of a sprayer are as follows
a) Pump b) Chemical tank c) agitator d) Air chamber
e) pressure gauge f) Pressure
regulator g) valves h) Strainer i.) suction line j)
delivery line k) nozzles

Pump: A pump is a device used to move fluids, such

as liquids or slurries, or gases
from one place to another. A pump displaces a
volume by physical or mechanical
action. Most hydraulic sprayers are equipped with
positive displacement pumps
capable of developing pressure, required for many
spraying jobs. The discharge
capacity of these pumps is approximately
proportional to the speed. A pressure relief
valve or by-pass valve is required to protect these
positive-acting pumps from
damage when the discharge line is closed and for the
convenience of the operator.

Tank: It is the container to holds the chemical solution. It is made up of PVC, Brass,
etc. It is usually made of metal sheet or synthetic rubber or plastic having good
resistant quality against corrosion, erosion, and similar actions. The size of the tank
varies according to the pump capacity and the requirements.

Agitator: It is the device that stirs the solution and keeps the contents in
a homogenous condition. Positive agitation of spray material in the tank is essential to
permit using the full range of spray materials including powdery emulsions,
fungicides, cold water paints, or other spray material. Propeller or paddle-type
mechanical agitators or hydraulic agitators are very common.

Air chamber: In a reciprocating type pump, an air chamber is provided on the

discharge line of the pump to level out the pulsations of the pump thus providing
a constant nozzle pressures

Pressure gauge: It is a dial gauge that indicates the pressure at which the liquid is
delivered from the pump. A pressure gauge properly calibrated, within the pressure
range of the pump, is provided on the discharge line to guide the operator in making
proper adjustments to the pressure at the site.

Pressure regulator: The pressure regulator serves several important functions. It is

the means of adjusting the pressure as required for any spray job within the
pressure range of the pump. With the positive displacement type of pump, it also
serves as a safety device in automatically unloading the excess pressure by directing
the unused discharge flow from the pump back to the tank.

Valves: A valve is a device that regulates the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized
solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways.

Cut-off valve is provided in the delivery line to control the flow from the pump,

By-pass valve is provided in the delivery line to by-pass the flow from the pump to
tank, when flow in the delivery line, is reduced than the pump capacity

Relief valve - It is an automatic device to control the pressure of fluid or gas

within a range of predetermined pressure.

Strainer: It is a small circular plastic ring with nylon wire mesh to filter any dust particles
coming with the chemical solution It is included in the suction line between the chemical
tank and the check valves. In some sprayers, strainers are provided at the mouth of the
chemical tank. e.g. Knapsack sprayers

Nozzles: It is the component that breaks the fluid into fine droplets. Automation of
spray fluid is usually achieved by discharging the liquid through an orifice called a nozzle
under pressure. Atomization is also achieved by breaking up the jet of liquid with a blast
of air.

Spray gun - It is a hand-held metallic PVC pipe to one end of which the nozzle is
fitted and a flow cut-off valve and a handle are fitted at the other end. The delivery hoses
are connected to the spray gun. It conducts the fluid from the delivery hose to the nozzle.
The operator holds the gun and does the spraying job. The area of coverage by a spray gun
is less compared to the coverage of a spray boom. Spray guns are used with low-power
sprayers E.g. Knapsack sprayers, rocker sprayers

Spray boom - It is a long metallic or PVC pipe to which several nozzles are fitted.
The delivery hose is connected to the spray gun. High-power and high-capacity sprayers
use spray booms. The coverage is larger compared to spray guns. Booms are usually
mounted on suitable structures and used. E.g. Tractor operated sprayers, power tiller-
operated sprayers

Over-flow pipe - It is a conduit pipe through which excess fluid from a pump is bypassed
in to chemical tank by the action of a relief valve or pressure regulator.

COMPONENTS OF NOZZLE

Nozzle body - It is the main component which encloses all other components of a
nozzle

Swirl plate - It is a metal disc with two tangential holes that imparts a swirl or rotation
to the liquid passing through it.
Nozzle disc - It is the component that breaks the fluid into fine droplets. It is a flat disc
with an orifice at the center. When the spray solution reaches the disc from the swirl
plate the disc builds up further pressure on the fluid and when the fluid passes out of the
orifice, it breaks into fine droplets. The disc has a specific design to impart a hollow
cone solid cone or a flat fan type of discharge to the outgoing fluid.
The popular nozzles are a) hollow cone b) solid cone c) fan or flat type

Strainer- It is a small circular plastic ring with nylon wire mesh to filter any dust particle
coming with the chemical solution

Spacer: There are two runner/ plastic rings placed in between the nozzle plate
and swirl plate and between swirl plate and strainer for effective travel of the solution

Types of Nozzles
TYPES OF NOZZLE: The three common types of nozzle
a. Hollow cone nozzle: This liquid is fed into a whirl chamber through a tangential entry or through
a fixed spiral passage to give a rotating motion. The liquid comes out in the form of a harrow
conical sheet which then breaks up into small drops. This is used for insecticide and fungicide
spraying.
b. Solid cone nozzle: This nozzle covers the entire area at a small range. The construction is similar
to a hollow cone nozzle with the addition of an internal jet that strikes the rotating liquid just
within the orifice of discharge. The breaking of the drop is mainly due to impact. This is used
for herbicide spraying.
c. Fan nozzle: It is a nozzle that forms a narrow elliptical spray pattern. In this type, the liquid is forced
to come out as a flat fan-shaped sheet which is then broken into droplets. This nozzle is mostly
used for low-pressure spraying.
A. B. C.

Types of Sprayers
Based on the volume of liquid handled, sprayers may be classified into
(1) High-volume sprayer (more than 400 liters /ha)
(2) Low-volume sprayer (5 to 400 liters/ hectare)
(3) Ultra low volume sprayer (ULV) spray (less than 5 liters /ha).
The selection technique depends upon the type of vegetation, kind of pests and
approach to the field.

Bottle sprayer or hand spray - This is a simple sprayer. It creates hydraulic pressure by forcing the
spray solution to a nozzle by the direct action of hand pumping. The spray solution is filled in a plastic
can (5-10 L) which is usually shoulder slung. A dip tube draws liquid from the tank due to the hand
actuation of the plunger. Held by both hands the piston pump is worked by sliding action. The
capacity of this sprayer is about 0.5 acre per day. It is useful for small-scale spraying in nursery or
kitchen gardens and pot plants.

Knapsack sprayer - The sprayer is mounted on the back of the operator with the help of a pair of
mounting straps. The pump of the sprayer is actuated by working a hand lever up and down by one
hand of the operator and the other hand holds the cutoff device for spraying purposes. This sprayer
consists of a liquid tank, hydraulic pump, operating lever, pressure chamber, agitator, delivery hose,
spray lance, and nozzle. A bean-shaped plastic tank of 14-16 liters capacity is commonly used. It is
necessary to operate the hand lever continuously at the rate of 15-20strokes per minute. The normal
working pressure is 40 psi. It is used for spraying field crops vegetables and nurseries. The area
covered per day is 0.8 to 1 ha.

Different types of Sprayers

Backpack Sprayer Knapsack Hand Sprayer

 Stainless Steel and Brass knapsack sprayers Hand compression spray

Power Sprayer Manual Sprayer

Pesticides Calculation and Calibration of Application

A. Calibration of Application Equipment

Calibration – is defined as the process of determining the amount of spray solution delivered by a
specific equipment.
The following are the steps in the calibration of knapsack Sprayer
1. Check the sprayer to make sure that there are no leaks, the nozzle is clear and the parts are
in good condition.
2. Stake out a test area in the field
3. Place a known amount of water in the field
4. Established the spray swath
5. Enter the test area and make the test run, spraying the area at the recommended pressure
and speed.
6. Calculate the application rate in liters per hectare.
 Area sprayed = Swath established x Distance travel (m)
(ha) 10,000m2

Application Rate = Volume sprayed

Area Sprayed

Calculate the amount of pesticide needed in each sprayer load

Example: You have a 10-liter sprayer and want to apply 313 liters of spray solution/ha. You want
to apply 0.5kg of pesticide/ha and the formulation pesticide is 25 EC (25% emulsifiable
concentration)

a. First, Calculate the number of sprayer loads/ha

Number of sprayers = liters of sprayer solution/ha

Load/ha sprayer capacity in liters
= 313
10
= 31

b. Next, calculate the amount of commercial formulation to be applied/ha

Amount of commercial rate in kg/ha 0.25

Formulation to be = % ai in the formulation 0.25 = 2.0kg
Applied/ha

c. Divide the amount of commercial formulation to be applied/ha

Amount of commercial formulation = amount of commercial formulation

to be applied/sprayer load number of sprayer load

= 2.0
31
= 0.065kg of the commercial pesticide formulation
Per sprayer load

Proper calibration of sprayer will ensure that pesticides are uniformly distributed and the crops is
covered adequately. This will improve pest control and save money.

B. Pesticide Calculation – is the determination of the required amount of pesticide needed in

a given area.
Simple conversion factors:
Area: 1 hectare (ha) = 10,000 square meters (m2)
Weight: 1 kilograms (kg) = 1,000 grams (g)
Volume: 1 liter = 1,000 milliters (ml)
1 gallon (gal) = 3.8 liters
1 tablespoon = 10 ml

Information needed to calculate spray volume in liters per hectare:

a. Size of sprayer (liter)
b. Area of filed (ha)
c. Number of sprayer load

Example: You have a 10-liter sprayer and you apply 6 loads to a 0.2-hectare field. What is your spray
volume (liters/ha) in the field?

Solution:

Liter of = 10 liters (size of the sprayer (liters/ha) x 6 loads (applied in a certain area))
Spray/ha 0.2 ha
= 60 = 300 liters/ha
0.2 = 30 loads/ha

To determine how many sprayer loads are necessary to achieve a certain sprayer volume (liters/ha),
use the equation:

No. of = desire spray volume (liters/ha) x area of field (ha)

Spray/ha Size of sprayer (liters)

Example: You have a 10-liter, and wish to apply a spray at a rate of 250 liter/ha in a 0.4 ha cornfield.
How many sprayer loads do you need to apply?

Solution:

No. of loads = 250 (desired spray volume in litters/ha) x 0.4 ha (area of the field
10 liters (size of the sprayer)

Calculation of rate when % concentration is known

Necessary information:
a. Recommended rate (% concentration ai)
b. Volume (liter of spray desired/treated area)
c. % ai in commercial formulation
d. Area (ha) to be treated
Example: You wish to apply 320 liters of spray solution/ha to a 0.5 ha area. The recommended spray
concentration of 45% EC pesticide is 0.04%. How many liters of commercial formulation are required
for the treatment?

Solution:
1. Calculate the amount
of spray volume needed = 320 liters x 0.5ha = 160 liter
for the treatment area

2. Calculate the amount of volume of spray x recommended spray

Commercial formulated required concentration
Product % active ingredient in the formulation

= 160 L x 0.04% = 0.142 liter

45%

3. Calculate the amount of liters of the commercial capacity of the sprayer

Commercial material = formulation x Concentration
Per sprayer load % active ingredients in the formulation

If you have an 8 liters sprayer:

= 0.142 x 8
160
= 0.007kg

Calculation of rate when recommendations are based on kg ai/ha

Necessary Information:
a. Recommended rate (kg ai/ha)
b. % ai in the formulation
c. Area (ha) to be treated

Example: You wish to apply 320 liters/ha of spray solution to a 0.5 ha area. The recommended rate
of the 70% wettable powder pesticide is 0.75 kg ai/ha. How many kg of the commercial formulation
is required to treat the 0.05 ha area? What is the volume of spray needed for the treated area? How
much materials are applied per sprayer load?

Solution:
1. Commercial recommended rate area to be
Formulation = (kg ai/ha) x treated area x 100
(kg) % ai in commercial formulation

= 0.75 x 0.5 x 100

70
= 0.536 kg
 2. Volume of spray needed = 320 litters/ha x 0.5 ha
for the treated area = 160 litters

3. Amount of material = kg of commercial formulation x capacity of sprayer (liters)

sprayer load (kg) Amount of spray required (litter)

Applying pesticide granules

Necessary information
a. Recommended rate (kg ai/ha)
b. % ai in the granular formulation
c. Area (ha) to be treated

Example: You wish to apply pesticide granules at a rate of 0.6kg ai/ha to a 2-ha field. The granules
contain 3% ai. How many kilograms of commercial formulation are needed to treat this area?

Solution:
1. Commercial recommended rate area to be
Formulation = (kg ai/ha) x treated area x 100
(kg) % ai in commercial formulation

= 0.6 x 2 x 100
3
= 40kg

Application Rate per Hour

Application rate = (Volume sprayed per minute x area covered per hectare) / area covered per
minute
Area covered per minute = Spray swath x distance traveled
Time to spray/ha in minute = time to spray/ha ÷ liter/min

Example: A farmer obtained the following data during the calibration of his 16-liter knapsack
sprayer: Distance traveled 40m, Spray swath 4m, and Volume sprayed 5 liter/min.

1. Application rate per hectare

Solution:
Area covered per minute = Spray swath x distance traveled
= 4m x 40 m = 160m

Application rate = (Volume sprayed per minute x area covered per hectare) / area covered per
minute
= (5 L/min /10,000 m2) / 160 m2
 = 312.5 L/ha

2. Required time to spray 1 ha

Solution:

Application rate = (Volume sprayed per minute x area covered per hectare) / area covered per
minute
= (5 L/min /10,000 m2) / 160 m2
= 312.5 L/ha

Time to spray/ha in minute = application rate/ha ÷ liter/min

= 312.5 L/ha ÷ 5L/min
= 62.5 min