What practice helps minimize pesticide drift during application?

Choosing a calm day is an effective practice to minimize pesticide drift during application because wind can significantly affect how pesticides are distributed in the environment. Wind can carry droplets away from the target area, potentially leading to unintended exposure to non-target organisms or areas. By selecting a calm day, applicators ensure that the conditions are more stable, minimizing the risk of drift and enhancing the accuracy of the application.

In contrast, applying pesticides during high winds will likely increase drift rather than decrease it, as the force of the wind can carry pesticide particles farther than intended. While increasing the amount applied might appear to ensure better coverage, it does not reduce drift and can cause harm to non-target areas. Similarly, using a coarse spray pattern might help minimize drift to some extent, but the foundational issue of wind remains unaddressed without considering the weather conditions during application. Therefore, opting for calm weather is the most effective strategy to ensure focused and safe pesticide application.