Make This Adjustment to Help Reduce Dicamba Drift Potential in 2020

Exciting new research from WinField United reinforces and broadens findings from earlier this year regarding the control of fine particle drift.

What we found

First, WinField United researchers recently discovered that even if a drift reduction adjuvant (DRA) is included in the spray tank, flexible membranes called “bags” are created (think of a bubble). Once these bags leave the spray nozzle and hit a crosswind in the field, they break, creating many fine droplets that can easily drift where they shouldn’t. We call this phenomenon bag breakup.

After identifying this occurrence, we found that InterLock^® adjuvant disrupts the formation of these flexible bags so that bag breakup is less likely to occur.

Earlier this year, we reported on research conducted at the WinField United Innovation Center that showed including InterLock adjuvant in the spray tank helps control fine particle drift that DRAs alone cannot. We discovered that including both InterLock adjuvant and a DRA in the tank, along with a water conditioner, reduced driftable fines by 60%.

Bottom line, you should still include a DRA in your spray tank, which improves spray quality and meets label requirements for many tank mixtures. And even with a DRA, there are always going to be fine droplets that come along with spray applications. However, adding InterLock to the tank further optimizes that spray application by reducing the potential for drift.

Tank mix partners

For dicamba herbicide applications, WinField United recommends using InterLock adjuvant technology along with OnTarget^® adjuvant, which is a DRA. Additionally, if glyphosate is used, adding a water conditioner to the tank is strongly recommended to tie up cations in the spray water that can limit glyphosate effectiveness. Designed specifically for dicamba technologies, Class Act^® Ridion^® by WinField United is a non-AMS water conditioner that helps neutralize these cations. Class Act Ridion also contains a surfactant and CornSorb^® additive for increased herbicide efficacy.

InterLock adjuvant lets you reduce the number of driftable fines from your spray tank by producing a more accurate spray. It can be used at a low rate of just 2 oz. per acre, and it provides you with the assurance that your spray applications will end up where you want them to. Preliminary field testing has shown an increase in weed control with this 2 oz/A addition of InterLock, as more product gets to the target. This can save you respray costs and help ensure your crops are protected, while also lowering your drift risk. Talk with your local agronomist to help you put your herbicide application plan into action.

¹ Based on research conducted by the WinField United Innovation Center.

This article was originally published in November 2019 and was updated in April 2020.