What is Max 357 and how does it work?

Water hardness and pH are two of the most important aspects associated with water quality as these factors also influence the efficacy of insecticides, fungicides and herbicides. Hard water contains higher amounts of the bivalent cations, such as Ca2+ and Mg2+, which can bind to glyphosate and sulfosate-based herbicides rendering them inactive.

Most pesticides are stable in a pH range of 5-6, which means that alkaline water (pH 8+) can result in the irreversible hydrolysis or degradation of many pesticide-active ingredients such as organophosphates, carbamates and synthetic pyrethroids, changing them to completely inactive chemicals.

Max 357 is a water-soluble buffering agent and cation sequestration agent with low volume application rates of between 5 to 100 ml/100 L water (hardness dependent). It contains 38% DTPMPA and 12% ATMPA as active ingredients, which give Max 357 the capacity to strongly sequester bivalent cations such as Ca2+ and Mg2+.

By sequestering these cations, Max 357 separates (inactivates) them from the solution which leaves the glyphosate and sulfosate herbicides free to perform their function. Max 357 is also able to efficiently buffer the pH of the tank mixture to the desired pH range of around 6, protecting sensitive pesticides against degradation by alkaline hydrolysis and helping to increase active life.

What is Twister and how does it work?

The molecules at the surface of a water droplet are held together with strong cohesive forces leading to the formation of water beads because of the surface tension of the droplet.

This surface tension can prevent pesticides from entering the solution or getting wet. It also results in the water beads rolling off waxy surfaces. For active ingredients such as pesticides and fertilisers to perform their function they need to be able to absorb to the leaf surface. However, many pesticides are formulated to use water as a carrier – this means that the pesticide does not dissolve in the water, while the waxy surfaces of various plants, insects and fungi are often water-repellent.

Wetters and spreaders are adjuvants that enhance the spreading and adhesion of spray droplets. They typically contain a surfactant (surface-active-agent) that can reduce the surface tension of the spray mixture by reducing the contact angle of the droplet. A surfactant is a molecule that has both a water-loving polar component (hydrophilic) and a water-hating non-polar component (hydrophobic).

Due to this feature, the surfactant can be absorbed in the air-water or oil-water interface. These surfactants can be further categorised as anionic (negatively charged), cationic (positively charged) and non-ionic (neutral/no charge). Anionic surfactants tend to enhance foaming properties, while cationic surfactants often result in phytotoxicity as they can disrupt the membrane-ion balance.

Non-ionic surfactants are the most frequently used surfactants as they are stable and typically do not harm plants. Thus, the addition of the correct wetter and spreader will improve the wetting of the pesticide as well as absorption to the surfaces of plants, insects and fungi.

Depending on the composition of the wetter and spreader it can often also behave as a penetrant. Penetrants are adjuvants that can penetrate the waxy layers of leaves to allow the pesticide or fertiliser to more effectively interact with the plant tissue. These are typically various types of oils of synthetic (petroleum) or natural (crop oils) origin. Most products for use with pesticides are formulated to be a wetter-spreader and penetrant.

Twister is a versatile, multi-functional emulsifiable concentrated adjuvant that has the added advantage of also being an anti-evaporant in addition to being a wetter-spreader and penetrant that can improve the activity of pesticides and fertilisers. Twister is based on a non-ionic surfactant and natural oils that increase the ability of the droplet to stay in contact with the leaf surface for longer.

The anti-evaporant properties are a result of the incorporation of methylated soybean oil esters which gradually allows the product to form an oily film over the water drop as the drop gets smaller, eventually covering the water that remains, which slows the rate of evaporation down, leading to a further increase in contact time between the pesticide or fertiliser and the leaf surface. These properties work synergistically to maximise the contact time between the pesticide or fertiliser and leaf surface for optimal absorption.

What is Drifter and how does it work?

During application, spray drift is the uncontrolled movement of pesticide dust or droplets through the air. This results in the spray mix moving to sites other than the intended spray area. There are two main types of drift, namely particle drift and vapour drift.

Particle drift is the movement of pesticide sprays during application while vapor drift occurs afterwards due to the evaporation of pesticides because of high temperatures. Several factors affect the potential for drift such as humidity, wind and temperature, however, the primary factor affecting drift is droplet size.

Small droplets are far more likely to drift than larger droplets, due to being lighter and thus suspended in the air for longer. As a result of drift, the rate of application can be reduced as less product is applied over the target area which can ultimately affect the efficacy of the pesticides.

Drift also leads to the unintentional exposure of neighbouring properties and nearby sensitive plants to the applied agrochemicals as well as increases the risk of contamination of any nearby waterways.

Drifter is a thickening additive that is based on polyglycerol and fatty acid ester polymers. This means that Drifter is readily biodegradable. The addition of Drifter to the spray mixture increases the viscosity of the spray mixture. When a more viscous mixture is sprayed it results in a corresponding increase in the average size of the spray droplets.

Larger droplets are less likely to drift than small droplets, which reduces the amount of drift. In addition to the ability of Drifter to reduce the drift of spray particles, it is also able to improve the adhesion, deposition and retention of agrochemical sprays, which ultimately improves the performance of the applied herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. It does this by activating the uptake of the agrochemicals through the cuticle employing increased diffusion. Drifter is also compatible with a wide range of tank mixes and microbial control agents.