Cotton
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.
