In pest management, what term describes the movement of pesticides by air outside the intended target area?

• A. Drift
• B. Drift-reduction additive
• C. Droplet Spectrum
• D. Vapor drift

Answer: (A)

Drift is the movement of pesticides through the air away from the target area. It happens when wind and air currents carry spray droplets or volatilized vapors off-target during and after application, which can reduce effectiveness at the intended site and raise safety or environmental concerns. Vapor drift is a form of drift where the chemical moves as vapor, but the general term for airborne movement outside the target area is drift. The other terms describe aspects of spraying (the range of droplet sizes, or a product added to reduce drift) rather than the actual movement itself.