20 / SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2019 PROTECTINGPOLLINATORS ThisseriesissponsoredbyOperationPollinator, aSyngentaglobalinitiative. SPRINGTIME CROP protection spray applications are often neces- sary for the success of the nation’s food system but stewardship and safety are always top of mind. Tom Smith, executive director of the National Pesticide Safety Education Center, says the center’s goal is to sup- port Extension Pesticide Safety Education programs. “One of the things we do is provide resources and science-based information for educational efforts in each state, and cer- tainly, a large part of that is focused on pol- linator safety and stewardship,” Smith says. The center has worked closely with the Honeybee Health Coalition to amplify its message that labels and best practices for pesticides really do matter. “The label is the law,” Smith says. “I always say to ‘read it, then read it again and follow it.’” Farmers and applicators can find information about rates of application, protective equipment that is needed, and precautions to protect other wildlife, whether pollinators or aquatic animals and birds. Ram Ramalingam, group leader for application technology at Syngenta, is one of the scientists who contributes to the research behind those labels. “We have a team of chemists, engi- neers and biologists who look at how products will be handled and applied to ensure minimal waste of the product and maximum protection for the applicator and environment, Ramalingam says. Technology There is extensive work that goes into ensuring products are safe and effective, and Syngenta scientists take spray drift very seriously. “One of the ways to alter the potential for drift is to design the nozzle itself to use larger droplet sizes, which reduces the potential for droplets to move off target as they are being applied,” Ramalingam says. Another way to reduce potential for drift is to manipulate the visco-elastic properties of the solution by adding something to the formulation or to the tank as product is being applied. “We call those drift reduction addi- tives, by using a combination of those two technologies we can have a good handle on managing and preventing spray drift,” Ramalingam says. Timing Taking a look at the best time for applica- tions can also make a big difference. Smith says that pollinators aren’t active at night, so that’s the safest time for any application, but even adjusting a few hours Small adjustments make a big difference for stewardship. Melissa Shipman melissanshipman@gmail.com INBLOOM?MINDTHESPRAYBOOM. to avoid peak foraging hours is helpful. “We talk a lot about honeybees, but the same guidelines apply for other native pollinators as well,” Smith says. “They will be foraging when daytime temperatures are above 55- or 60-degrees Fahrenheit.” Temperature inversions, in which a layer of cool air at the surface has a layer of warmer air over it, are another impor- tant factor to understand when it comes to finding the ideal time for applications. “We can sometimes get movement off that field with temperature variations between the ground and air, which most often happens right before dawn and dusk, so that’s another thing to consider,” Smith says. Adjusting the timing of a pesti- cide application is the most common and often easiest adjustment to make. “Changing the time that you spray is a pretty simple step to take,” he says. “Not Ram Ramalingam serves as group leader for application technology at Syngenta.