Plant protection equipment has to satisfy the mandatory requirements of the German plant protection act, Article 16. All equipment successfully tested by the JKI satisfies these requirements and is registered in the descriptive list. This equipment can additionally be tested on drift reduction or reduction of plant protection product.  

Drift values used in the approval procedure for plant production products

Since 1995 plant protection products have been evaluated with the help of issued drift values (Studies on the spray drift of plant protection products; Mitteilungen aus der Biologischen Bundesanstalt für Land- und Forstwirtschaft, No. 305) with regard to their effect on the ecosystem and especially on non-target organisms. By now, drift values are issued for nearly all relevant crops and applications in the federal bulletin.

Drift reduction

The approval of many plant protection products is associated with use ordinances. They dictate the use of drift reducing plant protection equipment. The descriptive list (Register of loss reducing equipment - drift reduction) contains equipment with varying drift reducing classes. They help to reduce the entry of plant protection products in surface waters and buffer zones. The applicant has to provide the JKI with the necessary results from drift measurements (field tests and wind tunnel tests). The requirements for the measurements are regulated in the JKI-guidelines 2-2.1 und 7-1.5. The equipment will be classified in comparison to the drift reduction classes or to reference equipment.

Reduction of plant protection products

The Institute tests plant protection equipment for its qualities regarding the reduction of plant protection products (JKI-guideline 2-3.1). Successfully tested equipments are registered in the descriptive list (Register of loss reducing equipment - plant protection products).