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WATER CONDITIONING AND COMPATIBILITY ENHANCING AGENT SUPA LINK ®
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WATER CONDITIONING AND COMPATIBILITY ENHANCING AGENT
SUPA LINK®
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WATER QUALITY AND EFFECTON PESTICIDE EFFICACYVarying water quality can have serious deleterious effects on the efficacy of pesticides used in the broadacre marketplace. Traditionally, recommended practice is to use rainwater for most pesticide applications. However, this is not always practical in most circumstances, thus the use of artesian water. This water source can have many dissolved minerals (Ca, Mg and other cations), and depending on the parent material, bicarbonates and high pH are also problematic. Dissolved minerals such as Ca and Mg are highly antagonistic especially to glyphosate (see below). High levels of bicarbonates are antagonistic to phenoxy herbicides, and alkaline hydrolysis
affects a broad range of pesticides. The net result of less than ideal water quality (depending on severity), can lead to pesticide breakdown (alkaline hydrolysis) or tie-up of some of the active ingredients leading to sub-optimal control. Traditionally, the use of ammonium sulphate (for water hardness) and propionic acid (for pH management) have been the preferred products for this problem. However, these options do not effect bicarbonates in water, and multiple products are required. Ammonium sulphate in the soluble form is also hydroscopic and can be difficult to handle.
WHAT ISHARD WATER?Water hardness is a measure of the total amount of cations such as Calcium and Magnesium as bicarbonates and carbonates in the solution, generally expressed in parts per million (ppm), or mg/L as calcium carbonate equivalents. Water that is considered to be “hard” is when the levels are above 250-350 ppm. Products that are susceptible to hard water include Atrazine, Chlorsulfuron, Clopyralid, Dicamba, Diflufenican, Diuron, Glyphosate, MCPA, Phosmet, Simazine, 2,4-D Ester and 2,4-D Amine. The normal practice is to use ammonium sulphate for this problem.
WHAT DOBICARBONATES EFFECT?Bicarbonates and carbonates can adversely impact some pesticides. Clethodim and other “Dim” herbicides, 2,4-D formulations (other than ester formulations) are also adversely degraded. Levels of bicarbonates as low as 175 ppm (mg/L) have been reported to impact on “dim” herbicides. Simply switching from amine 2,4-D formulations to ester formulations is not always a viable option due to environmental restrictions on ester use. Normal practice is to add ammonium sulphate to the spray solution for this problem.
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WHAT ISALKALINE HYDROLYSIS?Many pesticides are unstable with a solution pH > 7. This instability leads to breakdown of the pesticide which is irreversible and permanent. Stability, measured in half life, varies for different active ingredients. Supa Link® reduces spray solution pH leading to less potential alkaline hydrolysis.
Examples of Pesticides subject to Alkaline HydrolysisActive Brand Name Commentsdimethoate Dimethoate, Rogor®, Saboteur® pH 9 = 45min until 50% breakdown
carbaryl Bugmaster pH 9 = 3.2 hours until 50% breakdown
phosmet Imidan® pH 10 = 1 min until 50% breakdown
dicofol Kelthane® ph 10 = 15min until 50% breakdown
trichlorfon Dipterex®, Lepidex 500 ph 8 = 63 min until 50% breakdown
alpha-cypermethrin Fastac®Duo, Dominex® hydrolysis under strong alkaline conditions
iprodione Rovral® pH 9 = less than 1 hour
WHY DO WE WANTCATIONS TO BE DISASSOCIATED?When cations are in the charged form, they are free to react with antagonistic pesticides or fertilisers. When the cations are no longer charged (disassociated), they are then unable to be antagonistic with other dissolved chemicals in the spray solution. This allows mixing of some pesticides that normally react together. See examples below:
Gly
Gly
---
---
++
++
++
Ca
Ca
CapH 8 - 12
High levels of calcium (Ca++), magnesium (Mg++) and other dissolved cations can interact with the glyphosate (Gly---)molecule. When this occurs Gly--- is effectively taken out of solution because the salt is only very slightly soluble in water and may even precipitate.
This precipitation reduces the effective amount of Gly--- in the spray solution leading to sub-lethal levels applied in the field corresponding with sub-optimal rates of control.
Glyphosate Uptake in Setaria (Pigeon Grass)The physical result of high levels of calcium in the spray solution can be seen in the photo to the left. If calcium levels are high enough, control of the target species can be seriously inhibited.
Source: Dupont
UTC Glyphosate Glyphosate +CaCI2
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Mono Ammonium Phosphate + Calcium
Nitrate
SUPA LINK®
COMPATIBILITYAGENT
Supa Link® may help in combinations of fertilisers that are commonly antagonistic. Similary, Supa Link® can be used when using multi-combination pesticides and liquid fertilisers. See below.
InsolubleNot Plant Available
SolublePlant Available
Mono Ammonium Phosphate + Calcium
Nitrate + 0.2% Supa Link®
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Because of the ability of Supa Link® to manage water quality issues, it must be added to the spray tank prior to any pesticides or fertilisers. Add Supa Link® when the spray tank is 1/3-1/2 full and continue filling. This will allow the Supa Link® to disassociate any dissolved cations and adjust pH of the water prior to any potentially antagonistic products being added.
HOW TOUSE
WHAT IS SUPA LINK®?A compatibility and water conditioning agent for multiple uses in broadacre pesticide and fertiliser applications.
Hard water (high in Ca and Mg), high levels of bicarbonates, alkalinity/acidity and total dissolved solids in spray solutions reduce the effectiveness of many pesticides and fertilisers, thus reducing either the robustness of the pesticide, or availability of the fertiliser to the target crop. The ability to manage water pH, water hardness, bicarbonates in water and a compatibility agent, gives farmers a one-product solution rather than requiring multiple products.
WHY USESUPA LINK®?
HOW IT WORKS?Supa Link® adjusts high water pH to reduce alkaline hydrolysis, and disassociates dissolved cations in the spray solution to make them less antagonistic.
1. Add water to 1/2 tank volume and add Supa Link to tank.
2. Continue filling tank to 3/4 volume, then add respective pesticides in normal mixing order.
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TRIALRESULTS
Israel 2006: Supa Link® added to suspected glyphosate-resistant ryegrass.
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Glyphosate 360 @ 2L/Ha+ Supa Link 0.4%
Glyphosate 360 @ 2L/Ha+ Supa Link 0.2%
Glyphosate 360 @ 2L/Ha
Untreated
Darling Downs 2011: This trial was completed in a rain-fed Roundup ReadyTM tolerant cotton crop. The water source for this trial was an artesian bore with results below.
pH: 7.9, Ca: 54 mg/kg, Mg: 96 mg/kg, Bicarbonates: 370 mg/kg and total hardness: 550 mg/kg.
The rate of Supa Link® in this trial was 0.2% (v/v) ie: 200 mL/100 L of water. The rate of Roundup ReadyTM was 1kg/ha.
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RRH + SLAmaranthus
RRHAmaranthus
RRH + SLSow Thistle
RRH Sow Thistle
RRH + SL BladderKetmia
RRH BladderKetmia
RRH + SL Johnsons
Grass
RRH Johnsons
Grass
Comparison of Roundup Ready Herbicide with addition ofSupa Link on various weed specicies - QLD 2011
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Water conditioning/pH Management: Utilise Supa Link® rather than propionic acid/ammonium sulphate combination.• Less products = less handling.• Liquid rather than salt (in case of ammonium sulphate) = easier to measure and handle.
Compatibility aid: Utilise Supa Link® for complex mixes of fertilisers and/or pesticides in the spray solution.
Tank and line cleaning: Supa Link® is useful for helping clean out spray tanks & lines of build-up of insoluble precipitates.• Organic result, no environmental issues.
Summary: Supa Link® improves the simplicity, effectiveness and flexibility for applications of pesticides in one product at an extremely cost-effective position.
Supa Link® can be supplied in 5 L, 20 L, 200 L and 1000 L containers.
MARKETPOSITIONING
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HEAD OFFICE: 2 Hovey Road, Yatala QLD 4207, AustraliaPh: +61 7 3451 0000 Fax: +61 7 3451 0093 Free Call: 1800 65 47 58
Email: [email protected] Web: www.agrichem.com.au
