Taking the guesswork out of plant protection spraying
Justin Roberts reports on a course equipping farmers and contractors with the skills required to apply plant protection products in a sustainable way
The crop spraying season is upon us with the usual worries of weather windows, ground conditions disease pressure and even herbicide availability. Although many factors are outside of the farmer’s control, ensuring that the sprayer operator is fully qualified to apply pesticides is not.
Twelve years ago the EU issued directive 2009/128/EC which requires member states to implement a system of training and certification for users, advisors and distributers of agricultural pesticides.
The main aim of the directive was to promote sustainable use of pesticides, i.e. in such a way as to allow their continued deployment in the field.
To comply with the directive , the Department of Agriculture here introduced a system requiring farmers and operators to receive formal training and certification in pesticide application.
Since 2015, anybody applying plant protection products that are classed as ‘professional’ chemicals’ has to be registered as a professional user (PU). This covers all methods, including knapsack sprayers .
Although it is possible to apply for a PU number without taking a recognised course, anybody caught applying chemicals without the necessary qualification is liable to various penalties.
Training
Farmers or operators who might have received training at college, or via Teagasc, may be eligible for certification without attending a course, but they will need to check with the Dept of Agriculture first.
There are three certifying bodies recognised by the Department. They are Lantra, City and
Guilds, and Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).
QQL is a state agency charged with promoting quality and accountability within education and training.
Farm Relief Services (FRS) in Roscrea delivers courses under the aegis of QQI. The company’s health and safety manager Jim Dockery says the course consists of two days in the classroom with a week in between during which the student is required to put into practice the theory taught on the first day.
The theory includes all aspects of the safe storage and application of the chemicals as well as the need to record all activities and pesticide use.
In addition to the safe handling of the chemicals, emphasis is placed on the proper operation and calibration of the sprayer being used. It is this part of the programme which is vital in providing competent operators to the industry.
Priorities
There are five main priorities when preparing a sprayer to deliver the active ingredients at a prescribed rate. These are: boom width, forward speed, dilution rate, nozzle size and working pressure.
The boom width for any particular sprayer is fixed so it becomes a question of balancing the other four items. During the course, the student is shown how to calculate the speed of the tractor in the field rather than rely on the instrumentation. This is especially important in grassland areas where older tractors, without ground speed radar, may still be in use.
The art of nozzle selection is another important aspect as this is highly dependent on the crop and weather conditions.
Fine droplets from a small nozzle may be ideal for ensuring good coverage of the leaf, but on a windy day there is every chance that it may drift into the next field.
The importance of crop and weed growth stages is also stressed to ensure maximum benefit is gained from the chemical applied. Deciding upon the timing of an application and planning a spray strategy are two vital components of a successful herbicide campaign.
Checking a sprayer prior to its use is an essential part of the course. This involves a full explanation of how sprayers work, including the function of the rinsing, section control and filtering systems. Another aspect taught on the first day is the selection of safety equipment and its use.
Having learned the theory, students are expected to complete various questionnaires and exercises back at their base.
These are designed to reinforce the lessons of the classroom and a week is usually assigned to complete them.
The second day of tuition involves some practical instruction before each applicant is required to demonstrate the skills they have acquired on the course with a sprayer supplied by FRS. Once they have passed this phase of testing, they are considered a professional user.
Jim Dockery stresses that no matter who actually purchases and applies the pesticides it is the farmers responsibility to ensure that it is done so correctly and that all the chemical is accounted for. This will involve close liaison with contractors and farm staff and is vital if we are to continue enjoying the benefits of pesticides.