Growers, PCAs invited to see how nozzles affect coverage and drift in tree crops
Tree crop growers, farm managers, licensed applicators, pest control advisers (PCAs) and others looking to improve spray efficiency, coverage and drift management in orchard systems are encouraged to attend Orchard Spray Nozzle Day on May 29.
Custom applicators and spray operators also may benefit from practical guidance on nozzle selection, spray quality and real‑world setup considerations. The four-hour workshop may also interest agricultural equipment dealers, manufacturers, researchers and students interested in orchard spray technology and emerging application tools, including automatic nozzle selector systems.
Attendees will gain research‑based knowledge, hands‑on exposure to nozzle comparisons, system design considerations and field demonstrations, while earning requested continuing education credits from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.
“Whether you make spray decisions, recommend equipment or support orchard operations, this workshop offers research‑based insights you can apply immediately in the field,” said workshop leader, UC Cooperative Extension specialist Peter Ako Larbi.
Christian Becerra, agricultural application engineering staff research associate, will assist in the instruction.
In an outdoor demonstration, Larbi and Becerra will showcase the operation of different automatic nozzle selection configurations and conduct live measurements of droplet size from various nozzles.
Orchard Spray Nozzle Day will be held from 8 a.m. to noon on Friday, May 29, at Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center at 9240 S Riverbend Avenue in Parlier. Doors will open at 7:15 a.m. for participants to check in.
This workshop is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Continuing education units will be requested from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Registration closes on May 26, 2026. To see the agenda and register for UC Orchard Spray Nozzle Day, visit https://link.ucanr.edu/spraynozzle26.