Irish barley growers can get free drift-reducing nozzles when they purchase Syngenta fungicides for this year’s spraying season.
Farmers can get the free drift-reducing nozzles when they buy the company’s IZM containing fungicides – Bontima, Cebara or Zulu.
Barley growers will receive one free nozzle for every full hectare of Bontima, Cebara or Zulu they purchase this year.
For example, each pack of Bontima purchased will entitle the grower to claim the equivalent of 2.5 nozzles.
Syngenta’s drift reducing nozzles
“Over the course of the season, growers will have the opportunity to, if not fully, then at least part fit their set of nozzles free of charge,” said Syngenta’s spraying expert Tom Gartland.
Advantages of drift-reducing nozzles
According to Gartland the nozzles have many advantages over standard flat fan nozzles.
They are of course principally used to reduce drift and to get more of the product to the designated target.
“But, they also allow for a wider window of application – when it’s too windy for a flat fan, it may still be OK for drift-reducing nozzles.”
The company also says that the nozzles being offered are based on air induction technology.
This essentially means that air is included in the spray droplet, making it less likely to drift but also increasing adhesion to the target.
The nozzles are based around the original Amistar nozzle, which many growers will be familiar with. The original Amistar nozzle was a 025 size, however the range is now expanded with sizes from 02-05.
- Reduced loss of product into the environment
- More product delivered to the intended target
- Wider weather window of spray application
Buffer zones and drift-reducing nozzles
Gartland also said that growers should benefit from these nozzles as the focus on buffer zones increases.
Many pesticide labels carry a mandatory buffer zone to surface water. This buffer zone is typically 5m, but it can extend to 10 to 15m and it must be observed when using standard nozzles.
The buffer zone may be reduced significantly when drift-reducing nozzles are used. Details of how buffer zones may be reduced are outlined in the Department of Agriculture’s STRIPE initiative.
Under this initiative, the buffer zone requirement of some pesticides can be mitigated against by rate reduction and/or approved drift reducing nozzles.
Gartland said that the Amistar nozzle sizes 03 to 05 are approved as 75% drift reducing.
How to claim your free drift-reducing nozzles
Growers can claim their free drift-reducing nozzles by filling out an official claims form, which is available here: Download Free Drift-Reducing Claim Form.
The offer is open to barley growers in the Republic of Ireland only, who purchase Bontima, Cebara or Zulu between April 1 and July 31, 2016.
The company says that the closing date for the return of the claims form is September 30, 2016.
