Will tank mixing pesticides give you better efficacy? Save you money? Can tank mixing HURT your crop in any way? How do you know if two products are compatible? And how do you know if you’re legally allowed to tank mix two products?
Tank mixing is the practice of combining multiple registered agricultural products in the sprayer tank for application in a single pass.
The Pros of Tank Mixing
- Efficiency: If the timing makes sense, a single pass saves time and reduces trample/compaction—E.g. A “weed-and-feed” application of fertilizer and herbicide in corn.
- Resistance management: Multiple modes of action help prevent resistance development and combat existing problems.
- Improved performance: Labels may require adjuvants to condition carrier water or reduce drift (utility adjuvants) or improve the degree of contact between droplets and the plant surface, or enhance product uptake or rain fastness (activator adjuvants).
The Cons of Tank Mixing
Tank mixing requires caution and careful investigation. Should tank mix partners prove to be incompatible, the consequences can be subtle or dramatic but are always negative. There are two kinds of incompatibility.
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