Tank Mixing 101: Principles for Optimal Application
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Tank mixing can save time and passes across the field, however, it can also cost you time and money if done incorrectly. There are two different incompatibilities that can happen when mixing chemicals:
- Physical - when the product becomes a gel, products fall to bottom of tank, or separates into layers. These issues can clog filters, sprayer lines and the tank.
- Chemical - when the product looks normal and sprays out, but the activity of a product is reduced (antagonism) or increased (synergism) where crops are damaged.1
To ensure the highest yields and cleanest fields possible, use the resources below to help you tank mix correctly.
Principles of How to Tank Mix
Always read and follow the label directions. If you have questions, contact your Corteva Agriscience Territory Manager.
Ahead of tank mixing, you can try a jar test. Jar testing involves mixing up a small portion of the tank mix you are intending to make in a mason jar, which will show you if there is a physical incompatibility with your mix. Check out this jar testing step-by-step guide from Sprayers 101 for more details.
Before starting any mixing, be sure to add 50% of the required water volume to the tank. Inadequate water, cold water or poor water quality can affect the time it takes to mix as well as the efficacy of the final spray mix.
To remember the order of adding products to the spray tank, follow the WAMLEGS principle.
W: Wettable powders, flowables
A: Agitate, anti-foaming compounds/ buffers
M: Microcapsule suspension
L: Liquids and solubles
E: Emulsifiable concentrates
G: High-load glyphosates
S: Surfactants
Some Examples using the WAMLEGS principle
To help provide context to the WAMLEGS principle, here a few examples using Corteva products.
- Enlist Duo™ herbicide or Enlist™ 1 herbicide as a burndown application + Canopy™ PRO herbicide (Metribuzin Mx + Classic)
- Tank mix in this order: Water, Begin agitation, Classic, Metribuzin Mx, Continue to Agitate, Enlist Duo (L), finish filling with water.
- Enlist 1 herbicide + Glyphosate (or Liberty 200SN)
- Tank mix in this order: Water, start Agitation, Liquid: add liquid sequentially, Enlist 1, wait for it to be mixed, then Glyphosate or Liberty, finish filling with water.
- Enlist Duo + Acapela™ fungicide
- Tank mix in this order: Water, start Agitation, Liquid, add liquid sequentially, Enlist Duo, then Acapela, finish filling with water.
- Enlist Duo + Select (to target glyphosate tolerant volunteer corn in soybeans
- Tank mix in this order: Water, start Agitation, Liquid (Enlist Duo), Emulsifable concentrate (Select), finish filling with water
Where to get Information
- PMRA. The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has the PMRA Label Search which is Health Canada’s label database. You can access chemical labels as PDF documents or search the labels directly, or use their app.
- Product Labels. Find Corteva Agriscience product labels with our Label and SDS finder tool.
- Corteva Agriscience Field Guide App. At the click of a button, you can find application and mixing information on Corteva Agriscience products.
- East Crop Protection Products WAMLEGS Mixing Chart
After Application
Don’t forget to clean out the sprayer when you are finished. Some mixes will change with time, so it is important to clean out your sprayer when you are finished spraying. For more details, follow these sprayer clean-out best practices.
For more information, contact us at Solutions@corteva.com or contact your local Territory Manager.
1https://www.sdaba.org/assets/docs/AgronomyConf2018/Whitford-AvoidingTankMixErrors.pdf