A quality water supply for your spray tank is the foundation for a successful application. According to Helena, poor water quality can lead to antagonisms, active ingredient decomposition and/or formulation incompatibilities, which can reduce efficacy up to 50%. And 80% of application issues are attributed to how the application was made (including water quality) and not the product itself.
For the past four years, Helena has offered AquaLenz Advanced Water Analysis, which is a product to better inform the farmer of their water quality issues.
“Water sample reports can be extremely complex—they aren’t like a plant tissue report,” says Paul Crout, senior product manager. “So we’ve developed a way to take a sample and get key pieces of information.”
He explains each characteristic of the result is given a red, yellow, or green flag to indicate importance of addressing. The key characteristics measured are:
- Hardness
- Iron Antagonisms
- pH
- Carbonates/Bicarbonates
- Sodium
- Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
“The most important problem is at the top—so it’s also prioritized and provides specific product recommendations for the best water treatment material for the problem,” Crout says.
Michael Kenty, product specialist, adds this tool has been incredibly insightful for Helena agronomists and the farmer customers at solving the problems they were encountering out in the field.
“Now, the first question I ask when there is a field call is if there’s an AquaLenz sample,” Kenty says. “It has been the best tool to start the troubleshooting with.”
From salted out tank mixes, to clogged hoses, to physical evidence in the field of product application gone awry, Kenty says the best tool is a proactive—not reactive one—and AquaLenz fits that bill.
So what do these characteristics of water do to the dynamics in the spray tank?
- Hardness measures the total amount of dissolved cations in water. Metal cations (calcium and magnesium) bind with herbicides to produce antagonisms. Hardness is problematic with glyphosate, glufosinate, paraquat, 2,4-D amine and clethodim
- Iron antagonisms effect the weed control provided by glyphosate and dicamba
- pH is neutral at 7, but a ph of 3 to 6 (which is more acidic) is considered optimal for most pesticides. But this does vary by product
- Carbonates/bicarbonates at high levels greatly affect the efficacy of glyphosate, 2,4-D, clethodim and sethoxydim
- Sodium is a factor with irrigation suitability and particularly becomes an issue when combined with carbonates and bicarbonates. Sodium can also negatively interact with certain pesticides.
- Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) measures the total amount of minerals dissolved in the water, which is particularly important to monitor when sourced from creeks, rivers, lakes, ponds, etc., and if the water is brown. TDS can render glyphosate and paraquat ineffective.
The greatest benefits farmers have received is more efficient uses of their inputs, greater efficacy of the products, and improved stewardship to apply the needed amounts to address the pest problems.
“Aqualenz has made the science more understandable,” Crout says. “Our treatment product sales have increased year over year, which is sign growers are making the choice to address the identified issues.”
AquaLenz also helps inform which product to use to resolve an issue with the water quality. Kenty highlights how Helena has more than 10 water conditioner options, and each brings a unique value to the spray tank depending on the analysis results.
How often should farmers test water?
The Helena team advises to test any new water source, i.e. any new well farmers plan to use. Crout highlights how in California most water boards require yearly testing.
As for timing, Helena recommends testing water before you make treatment options, and up to twice a year.
“When we look at a sample, we’re providing a solution. It’s a solution to a specific problem. If you don’t get your water tested, you’re shooting in the dark,” Kenty says.
