Industry News Tracker | CropLife | April 20, 2026
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Executive Brief

In a crop protection environment where precision is now expected rather than optional, adjuvants have shifted from “nice-to-have” tank mix helpers to essential tools for both performance and stewardship. In this interview, Glenda Gehl, VP of R&D Ag Business at Land O’Lakes, explains how WinField United is using wind tunnel research, innovative formulation strategies and agronomic networks to fine‑tune every spray droplet. The discussion highlights drift reduction adjuvants, combined oil and surfactant functionalities, and integrated spray programmes that start with preseason planning of nozzles, pressure, boom height and tank mixes. It also stresses how education and interpretation of label guidance are becoming as important as the products themselves, with agronomists translating complex equipment choices, nozzle options and regulatory expectations into practical field decisions. Across the conversation, adjuvants emerge as key levers for keeping spray on target, improving deposition and consistency, and reducing off‑target risk and liability while protecting yield potential.

Technical Intelligence

1. Core Technology / Process

• Adjuvants are positioned as functional additives in crop protection tank mixes that help products perform as intended under real‑world spray conditions.
• Their role has evolved from optional helpers to essential components of precise, accountable spray programmes focused on drift, runoff and off‑target movement.
• Effective application begins with physical setup—nozzles, pressure and boom height—with adjuvants then used to fine‑tune droplet behaviour and deposition.
• Drift reduction adjuvants are developed and tested using state‑of‑the‑art wind tunnels to understand how nozzles, mixes and adjuvants influence droplet size, spray quality and drift potential.
• WinField United combines oil or surfactant functions with drift reduction in single, easy‑to‑use formulations to simplify tank mix decisions.
• Adjuvants are integrated into broader spray programmes that include preseason planning, nozzle selection, calibration and in‑field management of ground speed, pressure and boom height.

2. Key Ingredients / Specifications

• Drift reduction adjuvants
  • Functional role: minimise off‑target movement and improve on‑target deposition.
  • Developed through wind tunnel testing across different nozzles and tank mixes.
• Oil‑functional adjuvants
  • Functional role: provide oil requirements for modern chemistries while also contributing to drift reduction.
  • Example: SuperLock, combining drift reduction and oil functionality in one product.
• Water conditioners
  • Functional role: optimise spray performance by conditioning water in complex tank mixes.
• High‑quality oils
  • Functional role: support efficacy of modern crop protection products within integrated spray programmes.
• Lock family adjuvants
  • Functional role: long‑term drift reduction portfolio supporting modern chemistries, application systems and performance expectations.
  • Emphasis: more than 20 years of investment in drift reduction space.

3. Performance Data

• Drift reduction adjuvants are described as consistently minimising off‑target movement while optimising deposition across a wide range of chemistries.
• Combined formulations like SuperLock are said to simplify application by delivering both drift reduction and required oil functionality in a single product.
• Application guidance derived from wind tunnel and Answer Plot data aims to improve product performance, reduce drift risk and minimise liability while protecting yield potential.
• Labels increasingly recognise drift reduction adjuvants as essential tools for on‑target applications and consistent deposition, with newer labels providing clearer instructions.

4. Market / Sustainability

• Regulatory scrutiny around spray drift and off‑target movement is increasing, making drift reduction adjuvants more central to compliant spray programmes.
• WinField United reports over 20 years of investment in drift reduction, positioning its Lock family to support modern chemistries and application systems.
• Labels are evolving to explicitly recognise drift reduction adjuvants and to give clearer guidance on responsible, on‑target application.
• One key market challenge is translating label language and technical guidance into day‑to‑day spray decisions for growers and retailers.
• Used thoughtfully as part of integrated spray programmes, adjuvants are described as supporting sustainable outcomes by improving performance, reducing waste and minimising off‑target risk.

AI Editor’s Context

This interview sits within the broader shift in crop protection from purely chemistry‑focused solutions towards integrated application systems where droplet behaviour, equipment setup and regulatory expectations all intersect. By framing adjuvants as precision tools that fine‑tune nozzle choice, pressure, boom height and complex tank mixes, WinField United positions these products as part of a whole‑farm spray strategy rather than an afterthought. The emphasis on wind tunnel research, combined oil‑drift formulations such as SuperLock, and nationwide agronomic networks underscores how technical data and field experience are being blended to support more defensible spray decisions. As labels increasingly highlight drift reduction and stewardship, commercial success will depend on making this complexity manageable—through preseason planning, clear education and practical guidance that growers and retailers can integrate into everyday workflows.

Entity & Keyword Index

Companies / Organisations: Land O’Lakes; WinField United; CropLife; WinField United Innovation Center; Answer Plot network.

Products / Technologies: Drift reduction adjuvants; Lock family of adjuvants; SuperLock; wind tunnel testing; rotary nozzles for drone applications; See & Spray systems; integrated spray programmes.

Materials / Ingredients (functional classes): Drift reduction adjuvants; oil‑functional adjuvants; water conditioners; high‑quality spray oils; surfactant‑type components within adjuvant packages.

Applications: Drift mitigation; precision application; tank‑mix optimisation; preseason spray planning; nozzle selection; calibration; on‑target spray deposition; liability reduction; yield protection.

Keywords: drift reduction adjuvant, precision spray application, SuperLock, Lock family, WinField United Innovation Center, rotary nozzle, See & Spray, integrated spray programme, spray stewardship, tank‑mix complexity

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