NYS PCO Equipment and Calibration Flashcards

A nozzle screen (strainer) in a spray system serves to:

Answer: Filter particles that could plug nozzle orifices

Nozzle screens filter out solid particles from the spray solution that would plug the small nozzle orifice and disrupt the spray pattern.

What effect does increasing spray pressure have on nozzle output and droplet size?

Answer: Increases output and decreases droplet size, producing finer droplets more prone to drift

Higher pressure forces more liquid through the orifice (increased GPM) and shatters the liquid into smaller droplets, increasing drift risk.

Spray drift during outdoor pesticide applications is minimized by:

Answer: Using larger droplet nozzles, reducing pressure, and applying when wind is 3–7 mph

Larger droplets are heavier and fall faster, reducing air carry; low pressure and low-drift nozzle types further minimize drift potential in the field.

The purpose of agitation in a pesticide spray tank is to:

Answer: Keep the formulation uniformly suspended and mixed throughout the application

Continuous agitation prevents wettable powders, flowables, and emulsifiable concentrates from settling or separating, ensuring a consistent concentration in every spray pass.

When a pesticide label specifies '2 oz per gallon' as the mixing rate, a PCO filling a 25-gallon tank needs:

Answer: 50 oz of concentrate

2 oz per gallon × 25 gallons = 50 oz of concentrate needed to fill the 25-gallon tank at the labeled mixing rate.

After using a sprayer for a pesticide application, triple rinsing the equipment involves:

Answer: Adding water, agitating, spraying through the nozzle, and repeating three times

Triple rinsing — filling with water, circulating through the system, spraying out, and repeating three times — removes pesticide residues from tank, hoses, and nozzles.