How important are spray nozzles for cultivation?

Crop protection and adequate fertilization are essential to ensure productivity, which is why spraying is considered one of the most important processes in agriculture. In this context, the correct choice of spray nozzles also has a major influence on the crop’s results.

The choice depends on a number of factors, in particular on the type of crop and its current stage. But why is the choice of spray nozzles so important? How does an inadequate choice impact the crop’s results?

Interested in further understanding this subject? Then, keep reading this post and learn about the importance of spray nozzles for cultivation!

What are the major types of spray nozzles?

The most commonly used materials in nozzle manufacturing are plastic, ceramic, and stainless steel. There are cone-type nozzles, fan-type nozzles, and also some special nozzles. Check out the details of each one!

Cone

The cone nozzle is formed by a helical duct, called snail, and a tip with a circular shaped orifice. The snail is responsible for the droplet formation, and when combined with the tip, different flow rates, opening angles, and droplet sizes are obtained.

Usually, conical nozzles (full cone, hollow cone, etc.) work at high pressures. In general, conical nozzles (full cone, hollow cone, etc.) work with a wide pressure range, since they serve both annual and perennial crops.

Conical tips are recommended mainly for spraying fungicides and insecticides of contact and systemic, because of their very fine droplets, which ensure greater coverage and penetration in the desired target.

Conical tips are mainly recommended for spraying fungicides and both contact and systemic insecticides.

Fan

Fan spray nozzles have an ellipse-shaped outlet but do not have a snail. They are basically divided into two types:

• standard fan: widely used in bar-type equipment, this nozzle makes the crossing along the bar;
• uniform fan: it presents uniform distribution along the bar, dismissing the overlapping.

This type of nozzles are used mainly for herbicide application and, generally, work with pressures lower than those of the conical nozzles.

Special nozzles

In addition to the cone and fan nozzles already mentioned, there are also some types considered as special, for example:

• double fans, with one fan forward and one fan backward;
• nozzles with air induction;
• deflectors, which launch a fan-shaped jet created by the impact of the water against an inclined surface.

How can the wrong nozzle cause losses?

The type of nozzle influences the area of coverage, the droplet’s size, and also the range of the mixture. Therefore, using the wrong nozzle can cause waste of inputs, in addition to not guaranteeing the control of pests and diseases.

Imagine that you spray with the wrong nozzle and the mixture fails to penetrate properly into a crop that showed signs of infection. In addition to having lost the money invested in the products used, you are at risk of worsening the infection which, in many cases, can lead to the deterioration of the crop.

On the other hand, the correct choice of nozzle ensures that the product will have the correct range and penetration. Also, be sure to dose correctly and, whenever possible, to apply the product in favorable weather conditions.

How can you extend the life of spray nozzles?

Some relatively common practices in the field are not appropriate and can reduce the life of spray nozzles. To avoid this, check out these tips on how to use nozzles and extend their life.

Use chemicals with low abrasive power

Some products have suspended particles that are harder than the material used in the nozzles. Thus, these particles end up wearing out the nozzles. The solution is to look for unique products, with better-prepared formulas, which eliminate this problem.

Use good-quality water

Water with certain impurities, such as sand, organic matter, among others, can also shorten the lifespan of the sprayer. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the quality of the water you use.

Respect the recommended working pressure

Each nozzle has a minimum and maximum working pressure value. These values are obtained based on the material, type, and design of the nozzle. It is important that the farmer respect these values and not operate outside the recommended range. Otherwise, there is a risk of premature nozzle tip replacement.

Carry out adequate cleaning

When cleaning the nozzles, it is necessary to pay attention to the materials used. Wires, cutters, and other objects that were not made for this purpose tend to compromise the nozzle.

It is recommended to use a brush or compressed air for cleaning. Never use a material that is harder than the nozzle material, as this could cause premature deterioration.

Finally, it is important to change the nozzle based on the flow rate of each nozzle and not on the time it has been used. Worn nozzles tend to increase the cost of spraying, since they favor waste. Therefore, it is advisable to change the tip when the flow rate reaches, at most, 10% more than the nominal flow rate.

Is it possible to choose the best nozzle for each crop?

There is no best nozzle for crop X or Y, since the choice depends on the crop stage, the type of target, temperature and humidity conditions at the site, the equipment to be used, the size of the field, and so on.

Therefore, there is no single nozzle that is ideal for a given crop, but rather a nozzle that suits a crop at a given time. It is normal for the producer to make applications under adverse conditions and, for this, they will need to select the ideal nozzle.

The good news is that there is already a tool to assist in this choice. The Smart Selector is an application that, based on some information, can identify the most appropriate nozzle for each situation.

As you have seen, the nozzle choice is crucial for spraying efficiency and, consequently, for production volume and costs. Therefore, pay attention to this item and always value the correct choice of spray nozzles.

What about you, do you want to make sure you always use the most suitable nozzle? Then, download the Smart Selector and choose your spray nozzles in a simple and fast way!