Double-dosing of sprays and ACCS
19 June 2000
Double-dosing of sprays and ACCS
WHAT is the effect on a farmers quaility-assurance status when he double-doses his crops with either fertiliser or pesticide?
There will be very few crops in the country that do not fall into this category due the fact current machines and operators can not switch their sprayers and spreaders off and on to this level of accuaracy.
There is the same problem when tramlines are not spaced far enough apart.
In the SQC handbook, there is nothing to cover this.
This problem is far worse on organic crops of potatoes where a really nasty product, copper sulphate, is allowed by the Soil Association and others.
On potatoes you must not miss any small area at all, so there must be far more plants treated at 200% of maximum allowable rates.
VERIFIERS inspect how much pesticide has been applied over a whole field and determine whether this total amount exceeds the maximum dose allowed.
Minor incidences of overlapping are fairly common and are unlikely to be picked up.
So long as the farmer concerned exercises due care to ensure overlapping is kept to an absolute minumum, his assured status is unlikely to be affected.
Ring SQC on 0131 317 2501 for specific guidance.