Water quality the hidden driver of spray efficacy

Water quality is one of the most overlooked factors in spray performance, yet it can have major impacts on efficacy, compatibility and long-term resistance risk.In this episode, agronomist Bill Campbell from Campbell Ag and Damon Cusack from the Fitzgerald Biosphere Group (FBG) discuss how water quality varies across Western Australia and what growers can do to better manage it.They explore common issues including hard water tying up glyphosate, high turbidity reducing the effectiveness of paraquat, and elevated pH shortening the half-life of certain insecticides and fungicides.The conversation highlights key results from FBG’s Water Quality Snapshot project, which revealed significant variability in water sources, even between dams on the same farm.Practical strategies include testing all water sources, ranking them by quality, matching water to product where possible, and investing in storage or treatment systems. The episode also points to useful tools and fact sheets available through the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).A small investment in understanding your water could make a big difference to spray results and farm resilience.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (SW WA Hub) and is hosted by Doug Hamilton.Sprayer workshops – filter to “west” region and “workshops” - GRDCWater tests - CSBPWaterSmart Dams: Making Dams Work Again — Fitzgerald Biosphere GroupWater Evaluation Platform - University of Western AustraliaWater quality factsheet - GRDCSpray mixing and batch guides - GRDCWater Smart Dams project - Grower Group AllianceHub news - Drought Hub