In 1935, the Co-op Refinery Complex in Regina began manufacturing the energy products needed for seeding, harvesting and everything in between. Over the years, the innovations we bring to farmers have continued and Co-op Agro Centres are home to a growing portfolio of high-quality products, manufactured right here in Western Canada. Included in the growing suite of products are Co-op Surfactant NI, and the new Co-op Surfactant DG.
Adding a surfactant to your spray regime can improve pesticide performance and reduce application problems such as drift. The development of both Surfactant NI and Surfactant DG is part of our ongoing commitment to provide innovations and solutions to our farm customers.
SURFACTANT NI
Co-op’s Surfactant NI is a non-ionic, multi-functional surfactant that helps maximize pesticide performance by reducing drift, pH and improving droplet deposition. A great pairing for glyphosate or diquat, it helps to maximize pesticide performance through increased adhesion to the leaf and cuticle penetration.
“Surfactant NI lowers the pH of spray solutions and helps products absorb into the leaf instead of beading on it,” said Ken Wall, Co-op Grow Team Advisor.
While Surfactant NI can be used to adjust water pH, Wall noted it’s not a water conditioner. “It’s still imperative to test your water before starting your season.”
Surfactant NI is also ideal for enhancing harvest dry down when paired up with desiccants like BOLSTER® II (diquat) or with pre-harvest weed control products like VECTOR® 540 (glyphosate).
SURFACTANT DG
New to the lineup is Co-op’s Surfactant DG. It serves as a drift control agent that helps maximize performance by improving spray deposition. Like Surfactant NI, it also works well with glyphosate, although in a different capacity.
It pairs very well with glufosinate products. It enhances adhesion of droplets to leaf surfaces and reduces the number of driftable fines by 50 per cent. The low viscosity of the product also prevents thickening of the spray mixture.
Surfactant DG mixes well with VECTOR® 540 for effective weed control with less drift.
APPLYING SURFACTANT NI AND SURFACTANT DG
Both Surfactant NI and Surfactant DG are similar in that they can be used for in-crop application. Surfactant NI is also a great fit when applied as a harvest aid, increasing the speed of dry down when paired with desiccants.
Certain herbicide groups are more compatible with one product over the other, or potentially not compatible at all. Growers should talk to their local Grow Team member for help choosing the product that’s right for your operation’s needs.