CALIBRATION STEP: WHAT IS THE TOTAL OUTPUT?

Calibration is a matter of knowledge. The pesticide applicator needs to know how much product his equipment delivers to properties. Since each piece of application equipment is different, calibration must be a regular part of an applicator’s regime. For instance, even similar drop spreaders wear differently and the wear causes differences in their rate of application.

A dictionary definition of calibration is the act of checking, or adjusting, a piece of equipment. Calibration has two main components: the equipment and the operator. The goal is to learn how much product is placed in an area by a particular piece of equipment and by an operator using set methods of delivering the application.

 

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CALIBRATION STEP: HOW MUCH PESTICIDE PRODUCT SHOULD BE USED?

Three items must be known:

(1) Size of the area to be treated;

(2) How much material is placed on the treatment area by the equipment used; and

(3) The label rate of application.

 

Dry Material Example

Assume, the rate is 50 pounds of product per 6,000 square feet.

The treatment area is 9,000 square feet.

The amount of product to be used is determined by setting up and solving the following formula:

 

What is known (rate)          =          What is unknown (rate)
What is known (sq. ft.)                     Application area (sq. ft.)

 

50 lbs             .                 =                           X
6,000 sq. ft                                              9.000 sq. ft.

 

Solve for X

X = 75 pounds

 

75 pounds of the fertilizer product must be applied to the property in order to apply at the rate of 50 pounds of product per 6,000 square feet

 

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Liquid Material Example

 

The product label calls for 2 pints of product per 1,000 square feet. Your backpack sprayer holds four gallons and you know from calibration tests that three gallons are sprayed every 5,000 square feet.

How many pints of product will you need to treat 3,000 square feet and how much water needs to be in the mix to treat that many square feet? You do not want to have any product left over when you complete spraying.

 

Solution:

Step One – How much product do you need for 3,000 square feet?

Set up a simple ratio:

What is known (rate)          =          What is unknown (rate)
What is known (sq. ft.)                     Application area (sq. ft.)

 

2 pints of product            =             What is unknown (rate)
1,000 sq. ft.                                       3,000 sq. ft.

 

Cross multiply and you discover that 6 pints of product are needed for 3,000 sq. ft

 

Step Two – How much water to place in the backpack sprayer?

What is known (rate)          =          What is unknown (rate)
What is known (sq. ft.)                     Application area (sq. ft.)

 

3 gallons             =              What is unknown (gallons)
5,000 sq. ft.                                       3,000 sq. ft.

 

Cross multiply and you discover that 1.8 gallons of water are needed for 3,000 sq. ft.