What is drift and how can it be minimized?

• A. Drift is pesticide movement away from target; minimize with proper nozzle selection, droplet size, wind conditions, and spray height.
• B. Drift is the rate at which pesticides degrade in sunlight.
• C. Drift is the residue remaining on equipment after application.
• D. Drift is a measure of pest reproduction.

Answer: (A)

Drift means pesticide spray moving away from the target area, carried by air after application. It can reach nearby crops, water, or people, causing unintended harm. To minimize drift, focus on the factors that push droplets off-target: choose nozzle types and droplet sizes that produce—overall—larger droplets when appropriate, and adjust the application to weather conditions, avoiding spraying in high winds or during temperature inversions. Keep the spray height as low as practical and use drift-reducing techniques such as shielded booms or drift-control nozzles. The other options describe pesticide degradation by sunlight, residues on equipment, or pest reproduction, which aren’t about drift.