Water is an essential and working part of any spray solution. The molecular, chemical and physical properties of water used in a tank mix can change the effectiveness of the solution. Adding a water conditioning agent will bind to molecules in hard water ions to maintain the effectiveness of the crop protection products used.

Water Conditioners 

Water is an essential and working part of any spray solution. The molecular, chemical and physical properties of water used in a tank mix can change the effectiveness of the solution. Before starting a tank mix, water should be tested to see if any properties need to be altered for maximum spray application effectiveness. 

Conditioning Agents 

Hard water tends to be an issue in tank mixes because it contains ions like magnesium (Mg+), calcium (Ca+), iron (Fe+), sodium (Na+), potassium (K+) and other impurities that bind to and deactivate active ingredients in pesticides, rendering them useless. This is especially a problem for those living in the Corn Belt with extremely hard water, especially when tank mixes contain 2,4-D, glyphosate and other herbicides since hard water ions can replace pesticide ions in solution. A water conditioner, or water-softening agent, often used with surfactants, will bind to molecules in hard water ions to maintain the effectiveness of the crop protection products used.

Increase Effectiveness 

 Tapran™ is a multi-functional, high-efficacy adjuvant that helps activate herbicides for better performance against tough-to-control weeds, including later season weeds.

To learn more about the CHS adjuvant lineup, their ingredients, and their functions, download our adjuvant whitepaper, ‘Using Adjuvants to Improve Crop Protection Performance’. Visit CHSAgronomy.com for full line of CHS adjuvants or talk to your CHS agronomy representative about what adjuvant solutions will work best for your operation.