Which action can help reduce spray drift during pesticide application?

Reducing spray drift during pesticide application is critical to ensure that the chemicals are applied effectively to the target area while minimizing unintended exposure to non-target organisms and environments. Decreasing spray pressure to increase droplet size is a key strategy for achieving this.

When spray pressure is lowered, larger droplets are produced, which fall more quickly to the ground compared to smaller droplets. Larger droplets are less susceptible to drift from wind and other environmental factors, reducing the likelihood of the pesticide drifting beyond the intended application area. This method is particularly effective because larger droplets maintain their trajectory better and can ensure that a greater amount of pesticide reaches the target instead of being carried away by air currents.

In contrast, increasing application speed and using smaller nozzle openings can lead to the production of finer droplets which are more prone to drift, especially in windy conditions. Additionally, applying pesticides during windy conditions significantly increases the risk of drift, as wind can easily carry even larger droplets further away from the target area. Thus, decreasing spray pressure to enhance droplet size is the best option for minimizing drift during pesticide application.