Guardian Air™ - A new range of drift-reducing air-inclusion nozzles will make its first EIMA appearance in Bologna, Italy which takes place 12-16 November 2008.
The new range of nozzles offer the best coverage of any air-inclusion nozzle to date, making it ideal for a much wider range of combinable crop spraying jobs than traditional air-inclusion nozzle options. Drift reduction is also excellent and 3-star LERAP classification, the highest level of drift reduction, has been achieved across the range at lower pressures.
According to Hypro Sales Manager Ian Sutton:
"Like existing air-inclusion nozzles, Guardian Air™ nozzles achieve high levels of drift reduction, but produce a droplet that is approximately half the volume. This means that there are twice as many air-filled drops per litre with Guardian Air™ than traditional air-inclusion nozzle designs. Each nozzle has a rear incline to give uniform front and back coverage spray coverage. These two features result extremely good spray coverage, even at low spray volumes".
Spray coverage is optimum at 3 bar and 100 L/Ha, however, lowering pressures to 1-1.5 bar, means that the droplets become coarser, achieving the LERAP 3 star 75% drift reduction level that allows headlands and other spray drift-sensitive areas to be sprayed without hazard to non-targets.
The 025 nozzle size has been marketed for several years already as the Syngenta Amistar® nozzle and proven in both replicated field and farmer trials. In fungicide trials yield increases were typically increased by 1/3 of a tonne when compared directly to conventional flat fan nozzles at 200 l/ha, which reflects the improved spray coverage that can be achieved. Guardian Air™ nozzles are approved by Syngenta for application of fungicides, residual herbicides and insecticides in a range of combinable crops and for glyphosate.
Mr Sutton continues:
"With Guardian Air™’s smaller droplets, growers can be confident to reduce water volumes without compromising spray coverage. This helps greatly to increase work rate, helping to hit critical application timings for disease and weed control. It is estimated that delaying by just one day from optimum fungicide timing can cost 0.07 t/ha, so a week is worth half a tonne!".
Guardian Air™ nozzles are available in sizes 015 (Green) up to 05 (Brown) and include 025 and 035 intermediate sizes. The new range adds to the existing Hypro ULD nozzle which offers the widest possible spraying window for systemic fungicides and soil-acting herbicides. Sizes 03, 04 and 05 are now BBA approved with up to 90% drift reduction for the 05.
