NRoSO sprayer operator course: Getting the Best from Adjuvants & Water Conditioners

When
November 12th, 2026 from  9:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Event Fee(s)
Event Fee (ex VAT) £45.00 (ex. VAT)
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Syllabus

Getting the Best from Adjuvants & Water Conditioners

Code

CPD03

Designed for

NRoSO-trained sprayer operators.

Entry requirement

None. This course forms part of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme for members of the BASIS / NRoSO Professional Register.

Duration

A half-day online course

CPD points

6 BASIS, 10 NRoSO

Trainer

Syed Shah, Regional Agronomist & Technical Innovation Lead, Niab

Content

1. Understanding Adjuvants

  • What are adjuvants and why are they used?
  • Main types of adjuvants and their functions
  • Wetters, spreaders, stickers, penetrants and oils
  • Water conditioners, buffers and pH balancers

2. Water Quality & Spray Performance

  • The importance of spray water pH and hardness
  • How water quality can affect pesticide performance
  • When to use buffers and pH conditioners
  • Avoiding unnecessary water conditioning

3. Choosing the Right Adjuvant

  • Adjuvants for herbicide
  • Adjuvants for fungicides
  • Adjuvants for insecticides
  • Contact versus systemic products
  • Improving spray retention, coverage and penetration
  • Crop safety and phytotoxicity considerations

4. Spray Quality & Drift Reduction

  • Understanding droplet size and spray quality
  • Factors affecting spray coverage
  • Drift-reduction adjuvants
  • Nozzle selection, water volume, pressure and boom height
  • Balancing spray coverage with drift reduction

5. Tank Mixing & Application

  • Correct tank-mixing principles and mixing order
  • Product compatibility
  • Common tank-mix problems
  • The importance of following product labels
  • Practical examples of adjuvant selection

6. Practical Exercises & Discussion

  • Real-life spraying scenarios
  • Selecting the appropriate adjuvant for different pesticide applications
  • Identifying potential water-quality and spray-application problems
  • NRoSO Handbook exercises and discussion

 

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will have a better understanding of how adjuvants, water quality and spray application technology can influence pesticide performance, and how to select and use appropriate adjuvants safely and effectively.

Please note: This course forms part of the continuing professional development (CPD) programme for NRoSO-qualified sprayer operators.

The NRoSO Handbook will also provide additional information and exercises to work through during the course.

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