There is a saying that it’s the little foxes that destroy the vineyard. Viewed from a different angle, one can say that it’s the small things that often make a big difference. This certainly applies to the nozzles that are used to apply crop protection products. Small enough to fit in a child’s hand, a nozzle not only has the potential to exert considerable influence on crop yields – it is also a powerful tool in our quest for sustainable agriculture.

In simple terms, nozzles are tiny components of the vehicle that is used to transport crop protection products from the tank to the target. “This is how we mostly think about nozzles, which explains why they are so often seen as a grudge purchase,” says Andries Duvenhage who leads Syngenta South Africa’s marketing aimed at grain, deciduous fruit and vegetable growers. “However, when one sees a nozzle as a precision instrument that simultaneously contributes to the farm’s profitability and lowers environmental impact, the picture changes completely.”

In the conversation about the impact of agriculture on the environment, nozzles emerge as a powerful means of achieving ecological balance and resource conservation. Precision nozzles are designed to deliver every drop of the spray mix to exactly the right spot. They reduce drift en prevent chemicals from ending up in adjacent ecosystems where water sources and wildlife can be affected. Because the target is hit without fail, growers realise higher yields with fewer resources.

Well-designed, high-quality nozzles further contribute to reduced soil compaction and lower carbon emissions. As less water and fewer chemicals are required, there is less need for heavy machinery passes over fields, which translates to decreased fuel consumption and a smaller carbon footprint. An additional and significant point is that proper and focused application helps prevent the development of resistance by avoiding suboptimal dosing – decisive for the role that chemical crop protection plays in sustainable agriculture.

Nozzles are already in use on just about every farm, hence no new investment in technology is required. All growers have to do, is pay more attention to their nozzles and choose with care when the time comes to replace them.

Jack Pickering, application technology specialist at Syngenta South Africa, unpacks what the abovementioned entails. “Calibration is the point of departure, not only of the boom as a unit, but also every individual nozzle.” A single nozzle that delivers under or over specification can have a far-reaching impact on effective application and, by implication, on the money that the grower has spent on the product and the mixing water – and that’s without even considering yield losses due to inadequate crop protection. “Worn nozzles significantly increase operating costs and these potential losses justify the price of a new set without breaking a sweat,” says Pickering.

Holistic thinking is, as with so many other things in life, the best approach when deciding which nozzle to invest in. Syngenta’s 3D 90, for example, is particularly good at penetrating dense canopies, such as potato leaves and canola. It also shines in the application of pre-emergence herbicides as the aggressive 55-degree angle, coupled with the alternate positioning, gives better deposition on three dimensional targets. The nozzle is, in addition, more effective in windy conditions than an ordinary flat-fan nozzle. The latter cannot be used when windspeeds exceed 10 km/h, whereas the 3D 90 can cope at 15 km/h, which boosts productivity.

“Commercial growers are indispensable to achieving the objective of putting food on the tables of an ever-increasing global population without doing irreversible damage to the planet,” concludes Duvenhage. “Syngenta devoted much effort to spread the message of nozzle technology far and wide because we believe that agricultural efficiency and environmental health can and should go hand in hand.”

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About Syngenta 

Syngenta is one of the world’s leading agriculture companies.. Our ambition is to help safely feed the world while taking care of the planet. We aim to improve the sustainability, quality, and safety of agriculture with world-class science and innovative crop solutions. Our technologies enable millions of farmers around the world to make better use of limited agricultural resources.  We are working in more than 100 countries to transform how crops are grown. Through partnerships and collaboration we are committed to accelerating innovation for farmers and nature, striving for regenerative agriculture, helping people stay safe and healthy and partnering for impact. 

To learn more visit www.syngenta.com and https://www.syngenta.co.za/.