Dave Cheetham on Game Changer

By Jessica Theisman, Associate Editor

California Ag Today recently spoke with, Dave Cheetham, Tech Marketing Manager with Helena Chemical Company. Cheetham said that technology has really been changing the game when it comes to spray tank mixes.

“With the materials that we are working with these days, they are much more powerful, a lot less active ingredients, and do a better job than traditional pesticides,” Cheetham said. “When you are looking at very complex mixes, results can vary from good to not so good.”

Water plays a big role in mixing. With water being the carrier source, it should always be in good condition.

“With the drought conditions that we experienced in California over the recent years, we saw some changes in our aquifers and we see a lot of salt, sodium and heavy metals,” Cheetham explained.

Keeping a mix consistent is the main goal.

“Formulation incompatibility can be a tough deal when you’re dealing with heavy ECs or wettable powders or dry flowable materials. Oftentimes, you can see some interactions occur and you’ll get precipitation, which can lead to active ingredient decomposition,” he said.