Cotton Production in Mississippi
Caution with hooded sprayers
Hooded
sprayers are excellent tools. Use every precaution to keep the spray
under the hood. If hot materials are applied, make sure they also stay
under the hood.
Sprayers must be properly set, calibrated and maintained to be effective. Don't take the attitude, that if it's a hooded sprayer it's gotta be safe and send a piece of equipment to the field that is not set properly.
Like any other tool, it is not bulletproof and just because it's a hooded sprayer doesn't mean that cotton can't be injured by misapplication, or that misapplication can't happen. It can happen and has happened. Be careful.
Take time to be sure hooded sprayers are operated properly.
This
picture is just one example of what can happen when hooded sprayers are
mismanaged. In this case, Gramoxone was being applied and the hoods got
too high from the soil surface. Sometimes cotton can recover from this
type of damage, however sever cases can cause plant death and yield reductions.
Keep the hoods on or very close to the soil surface. Be sure that hot materials being applied do not blow out of the hood.
If directed sprays are being applied for the hooded sprayer, the other setting of the tips should be taken just as serious as if the spray was being made from a cultivator finder.
As stated earlier, hooded sprayers are excellent tools. Take the time and make the effort to be sure they are set and operated properly.