PROPER TECHNIQUES FOR PEST CONTROL

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30531, 28 August 1964, Page 6

PROPER TECHNIQUES FOR PEST CONTROL

' An important aspect of pest and disease control is to have an efficient and reliable means of applying the fungicide or pesticide. Otherwise application may be too light to give control, in which

case the effort is wasted, or too much is applied so that damage is caused. Dusts are still available and used occasionally. However, they are declining in popularity mainly because of the diffi-

culty in making them stick to the plant for any length of time. Dust can be applied by’ blowers or hand-operated rotary gadgets. A nylon stocking makes a good dispenser as it enables the gardener to shake a fine film of dust over the infected plant.

Those chemicals that are soluble in water, or when mixed with water form a fine suspension or emulsion, are in widest use. Many of the proprietary brands in general use have a spreader included, but a few drops of a sticking or wetting agent added to a spray mixture increases its efficiency. Solutions applied through a spray machine fall on the leaves in tiny droplets and a complete coverage is not obtained if a spreader is added a filmy cover is deposited. When sprays are applied to plants with upright leaves, such as gladioli, or to plants with very shiny leaves, live camellias, most of the spray runs off. The addition of some sticker will prevent this happening by “sticking” the spray to the leaf surface. The apparatus for applying sprays is extremely diverse, both in size, construction action and cost.

All spraying equipment should be kept in good Order. After each use it should be thoroughly cleaned. Immediately after use, fill with warm water to remove any deposit and allow the wanp water to pass through all parts where the spray has already gone. Deposits can block nozzles or line pipes, and diminish efficiency of output. When corrosive sprays are being used, such as those containing copper sulphate, there can be a wearing away of metal parts. Deposits can also react with subsequent sprays, re-

suiting in toxic substances which can cause serious damage to plants. It is possible to dismantle most sprayers and this facilitates cleaning. The exterior surfaces should be thoroughly wiped after use. The most efficient cleaning material is pure water, and lots of it. Grease all moving parts at least once a year. Pumps should be regularly inspected and washers replaced when necessary. All fitments need to be tightly screwed up to avoid leaks and maintain the maximum pressure. Nozzles, with constant use, become worn and fail to atomise properly. Replace them when such a condition is noticed. Many accessories are available for the better equipment to facilitate spraying—-multi-headed nozzles, extension arms which allow one to reach taller trees, nozzles of different size, and agitators to prevent sediment from settling.