When wind carries the chemical and its carrier off the target area, this is called?

• A. Drift
• B. Runoff
• C. Leaching
• D. Evaporation

Answer: (A)

Airborne movement of the chemical away from the target area due to wind is drift. Drift occurs when spray droplets are carried by wind during application, causing the chemical to deposit off the intended area. It’s influenced by droplet size, wind speed, temperature, humidity, and the type of nozzle or equipment used; smaller droplets are more easily carried farther, increasing off-target deposition. This is different from runoff (water flowing across the surface to a drain or body of water), leaching (movement downward through soil toward groundwater), or evaporation (the chemical turning into vapor and leaving the surface, not necessarily moving horizontally to another area).