Herbicide Application: Effective Management of Hard Water in Spray Solutions

Water quality is a frequently overlooked factor that can adversely affect the performance of pesticides, especially herbicides. Besides pH, water “hardness” is a key concern, with much of the agricultural water sources across the U.S. exhibiting high concentrations of calcium, magnesium, iron, sodium, and aluminum. These hard-water cations — especially calcium and magnesium — can wreak havoc in a spray tank when not managed.