Utilizing Wetting Agents, Surfactants And Adjuvants Within The Greenhouse

In the 1950s and 1960s it was difficult to solve the problems of water solubility for pesticides. Pesticides weren't designed to be carried by water. However, most pesticides today are specifically designed to work with water. The waxy surfaces of a variety of bugs, fungi, and even plants makes it difficult for the majority of water-based sprays to reach their targets. To overcome this barrier, adjuvants have been developed. Although adjuvants can assess the efficacy of a pesticide, they can also result in crop damage if applied improperly. Adjuvants are any addition to a sprayer tank which enhances the effectiveness of pesticides. Examples of adjuvants are surfactants, spreader stickers, crop oils, anti-foaming compounds buffering agents, and compatibility agents. Surfactants are adjuvants that facilitate and accentuate the emulsifying, dispersing, spreading, wetting, or other surface modifying properties of liquids.

How Do Adjuvants Work?

To comprehend how adjuvants function, it helps to understand how water works. Every water molecules is bipolar. This means that it has a negative and a positive charge, very similar to a magnet. If you put many water molecules together, the negative and positive forces pull each other towards one another (Figure 1.) .

Surface molecules of water droplets are held together by greater force than the inner molecules. This results in surface tension which can prevent many things from going into solution and becoming wet. Surfactants can ease this tension. They are the majority nonionic surfactant suppliers have an water-loving polar head (hydrophilic head) and water-hating non-polar tail (hydrophobic tail).

These surfactant molecules help to lower the tension of water's surface. This lets the pesticide be evenly distributed on a surface, and get to its intended target. When water molecules come into contact with substances that are different, several things may happen. If the materials have an identical charge, the two forces repel each others. If the charges are different both forces will attract each other. There won't be any reaction if there aren't any charges. Water, when placed on surfaces that are hydrophobic will cause beads to form. This is because of surface tension. You can decrease this tension by adding IRO Surfactant.

It is important to determine what adjuvant is the most effective. For instance, we got a panicked phone call from a grower who indicated that his pansy crop was struggling. He realized that his crop was infested with Aphids earlier in the morning. While he attempted to spray the entire crop, he soon realized that the spray droplets were evaporating the leaves. Instead of consulting or analyzing the situation, the grower decided he would spray the foliage with horticultural oil. It was hot and sunny during the afternoon. The leaves on the pansies started to fall off by 5 p.m. Panicked, he thought of applying a commonly used dishwashing liquid in the home to the pansies to rinse off the oil. He was aware that soaps dissolve oil.

Adjuvants against Surfactants

Surfactants are adjuvants which reduce the tension on the outer layer of water. There are four types of surfactants.

Anionic Surfactants have negative charges and enhance foaming and other spreading properties. For instance, shampoo that is suitable for hair has sodium or ammonium laureth-sulfate which is the most popular anionic surfactant for hair. Sprayers with an agitator or other systems that use foam could disrupt the flow of water and suction of the pump, could have problems when using an anionic surfactant in the greenhouse.

Cationic surfactants have negative charges and are extremely toxic for plants as they alter the membrane ion balance. Although they aren't widely employed for pest control but they are employed frequently in cleaning products. Avoid using the bottle of engine wash to clean your tractor . Instead, make use of it as a pesticide when you spray Easter lilies. It could have disastrous results.

The unique feature of amphoteric surfactants is that they form a positive or a negative charge in water based on the pH. Their use in horticulture crop protection is extremely rare. They are made to blend specific pesticide formulations to carrier components, or other substances. They are not generally used in greenhouses as a standalone product.

Nonionic Surfactants are not charged with any charge in the solution and are among the most widely employed IRO Surfactant for the industry of horticulture. When used properly they don't harm plants, are stable, and are capable of breaking the surface tension of water. However, the rate of application is vital. If the application rate is too high, an amount, plant damage could result.