What is the primary method to reduce drift during pesticide application?

Increasing droplet size is the primary method to reduce drift during pesticide application. Larger droplets are less susceptible to movement caused by wind and environmental factors, which minimizes the likelihood of unintended spray dispersal onto non-target areas. When droplet size is increased, the inertia of the droplets helps them to settle more rapidly to the intended target area, reducing the distance they travel through the air.

Other factors like spray pressure and flight altitude can affect droplet characteristics and the application process, but they do not directly focus on reducing the potential for drift as effectively as droplet size. More volatile formulations can actually increase drift risk because they tend to vaporize and move off-site more readily. Therefore, focusing on droplet size is essential for effective and responsible pesticide application.