This experiment was conducted to test the use of oxiethylene docosanol (O.E.D.) to reduce the loss of water during the spray of contact herbicide (bentazone). The droplets were produced under controlled conditions of temperature, relative humidity and absence of wind. The loss of volume was calculated by measuring the reduction of droplet diameter after a fall of 4.2m. When the herbicide solution wlthout O.E.D. was sprayed there was a loss of 63% of the inicial volume for the small droplets (141 micra) and 30% for the large droplets (216 micra). When O.E.D. was added to the herbicide the volume loss was reduced to 15% and 9%, respectively, for the smaller (134 micra) and larger droplets (216 micra).
droplet evaporation; spraying; pest control; oxiethylene docosanol