weed needed high quality surfactant corn field

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Is This Surfactant Too Good to be True? Here’s How You Can Test It

Synthetic or conventional oil? Regular 87 octane or premium 93 octane gas? Cheap tires or more expensive ones? These vehicle maintenance decisions may not seem like a big deal, but they can make a real difference in performance, longevity, and overall cost of a vehicle. In agricultural applications, adjuvant decisions can make the difference in an efficient and effective application. It’s important to ask questions to understand product composition and potential agronomic effects to determine if an adjuvant will truly be cost effective.

Finding a balance between price and agronomic results is key to adjuvant decision making.

1. How Do I Know What Kind of Surfactant I Need?

Just like a mechanic knows their cars, farmers know their crop. If there is a wet or dry spot or area where it is harder to maintain weed control, the farmer knows all about it. Providing these experts with information and tools to effectively combat their issues is essential to successful applications. Simple research data from lab tests like percent nonvolatile, Draves test, contact angle, and surface tension can show the capabilities of a product and whether or not the product is right for the job.

A surfactant’s ability to wet a leaf surface is directly related to the quality of that surfactant, and higher quality products will lead to more consistent performance across challenging environmental conditions. Quality surfactants can help growers extract the most from the pesticide-active ingredients they apply. Contact products need good leaf coverage, and adjuvants that improve wetting and reduce surface tension and contact angle will perform best. Systemic products must also have adequate leaf contact to get into the target plant, and using effective surfactants can improve deposition and wetting of spray droplets through hairy leaf surfaces.

Surfactants Explained

  • 90/10 are surfactants with 90% principal functioning agents (PFAs) and 10% inerts
  • 80/20 are surfactants with 80% PFAs and 20% inerts
  • Nonionic surfactants (NIS) are the most common surfactants providing the best crop safety and herbicide compatibility
  • Anionic surfactants are typically used together with NIS in agricultural surfactant adjuvants
  • A 90/10 and 80/20 are surfactant formulations, but not always an NIS, sometimes a blend

The principal functioning agents in a surfactant product are a combination of surfactants and other agents with diverse functionalities, including humectants. The percentage of nonvolatile substances in an adjuvant formulation determines the amount of components that do not evaporate quickly. A higher rate of non-volatiles provides the active ingredient more time to perform its function, increasing the likelihood of a successful application. The results below show the range of product quality on the market today. A lower number for the Draves test, surface tension, and contact angle indicates a product with better surfactant qualities. A higher percentage of non-volatiles is an indication of surfactant persistence on the leaf surface. This is why it’s essential to understand what you’re buying to find the product that works best for you.

exacto lab test results percent nonvolatile draves test surface tension contact angle surfactants 90/10 80/20

This chart shows percent nonvolatile, Draves test, surface tension, and contact angle results for surfactant products currently on the market. All tests were measured at 0.25%. 

Pesticide labels vary on surfactant requirements. Always follow the pesticide active ingredient label and consider the needs of each application to help choose the best tank mix components.

When evaluating a product, you should ask:

  • What research data is there to show product performance, such as contact angle or draves wetting?
  • What’s in the product and how does that compare to similar products?

2. What is the Agronomic Impact of Varying Quality?

As price pressures increase in all aspects of business, looking at ways to cut costs is a natural and appropriate response. While searching for cheaper alternatives in the adjuvant and crop protection industry, it’s important to keep in mind how formulation changes impact quality and agronomic effects as well as price. A cheaper formulation is an option, but is it always the best way to go? When the agronomic effectiveness of a product goes down, so does the value of the crop in the field. The risk of developing herbicide resistance also increases along with a host of other concerns.

weeds in a corn row july

Weeds growing back in a corn field in late July

When evaluating a product, you should ask:

  • What is in this product? If a product has less surfactant and more water, it will be less effective.
  • Is it an 80/20 or 90/10 surfactant? Does it have a high or low surfactant load? When less is more, 80/20 surfactants may be a more cost-effective option. However, if the label calls for a 90/10, or if application conditions are particularly challenging, a 90/10 surfactant or an 80/20 with a higher surfactant load could be the better option.

3. How Do I Know Which Product Will Provide Better Value for the Money?

If you have a big truck for hauling equipment, doing farm work, or other extra work, buying cheap tires saves money in the short term, but those tires may wear faster and have to be replaced sooner. Yield loss can break a profitable season. Certain adjuvants may have less surfactant and perform just fine in mild conditions, but throw in environmental factors like excess rain, hardened-off weed cuticles, or a particularly challenging weed, and it may become an overwhelming control battle that requires multiple applications.

While there may be cheaper alternatives, quality formulations that cost more can help get the job done right. If a product costs less and isn’t getting the job done, it’s not cost-effective. It’s essential to find that balance between high performance and product cost to ensure good efficacy while keeping costs down.

Purchasing decisions aren’t easy. Ask questions to ensure informed decisions and consider all factors, including product composition and agronomic effects. The more costly option could save money in the long run.

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