Following the simplified steps of sprayer nozzle selection may seem straightforward on paper but can quickly become confusing when applied to your own herbicide application plans. Finding a real-world example can make things easier. Here, we will figure out a nozzle for Warrant herbicide applications.

The Warrant herbicide label can be found online, and it includes some parameters for selecting the right nozzle and how to apply the product correctly. This is the information from the label that will be important for nozzle selection:

Other factors to consider are the carrier speed and nozzle spacing. In this scenario, assume that the sprayer will be travelling at 6 mph, and the nozzle spacing is 20 inches. With all this information, you move into making some calculations.

Get into the nitty-gritty

The TeeJet nozzle catalog is one example of a good resource for making these nozzle selection decisions. On page 189 of TeeJet catalog 52, there is a formula to follow for finding the gallons per minute that you will use when finding the right nozzle.

To find gallons per minute, you will first multiply the GPA, carrier speed and nozzle spacing, in inches. That number will then be divided by the constant, which is 5,940. This number will remain the same in every scenario. For this example, the calculations look like this:

Hold onto that GPM number. With that, you will head toward the front of the catalog to browse through the various nozzle types and find one that matches the GPM and the other factors previously mentioned. Don’t forget: the Warrant label recommends using a low-drift nozzle, so you can assume that you will want to look at the air induction nozzles.

Assess your options

When considering GPM, pressure and droplet size, there are several nozzle options that could work. These nozzles are the closest match to what you need in this scenario:

Making this final selection ultimately boils down to preference, the specific situation and previous experiences with various nozzle types. Warrant is a residual herbicide that does not control emerged weeds, and it is typically applied preplant, at planting, preemergence or shortly after postemergence before weeds become established.

The TeeJet catalog features a graphic toward the front that explains which nozzles are better suited for different times in the growing season. It shows that, for both corn and soybeans, the AIXR TeeJet is a solid choice for applying herbicides before planting or early in the season.

With that being said, the best nozzle in this scenario would be the AIXR11003. However, follow this process for the herbicides you plan to use, and ultimately consider your own preferences and situations to find the nozzle that works right for you.