A Lighter Touch (ALT), in partnership with ALT programme partners, is hosting educational spray workshops across New Zealand from mid-June focusing on helping growers achieve effective spray coverage.
Spraying expert, David Manktelow of Applied Research Technologies will lead the workshops, which will involve practical demonstrations and discuss spraying in the context of an integrated and sustainable control programme.
The workshops will focus on best practice, achieving effective spray coverage, and the calibration of spray equipment. Content will be tailored to crop types in terms of discussion around the spray mix, application and equipment.
Topics include understanding different chemical modes of action and coverage requirements for different targets and responses. Tips on getting ready to spray, during spraying and after spraying will be shared along with information on rules, compliance, maximum residue levels, Off-label use resources, alternative methods such as drone spraying and where to go for more help.
Attendees will gain credits towards their renewal of their Growsafe certificate. Following the events there will be a light lunch served and time for networking. There is no cost to attend the workshops.
First up, a field crops spray workshop will be held at the Pukekohe Research and Demonstration Farm on June 18, from 9am to 12pm, followed by lunch. Please arrive by 8.50am to allow time to check in on site. Spraying at two key growth stages will be demonstrated on lettuce crops. To attend please complete the online form below.
ALT spray workshops 2026
"*" indicates required fields
Other workshops are planned for covered crops, tabletop strawberries, wine grapes, evergreen tree crops, deciduous tree crops (both planar and central leader systems) and boysenberries.
Dates and locations of these workshops are being finalised and will be shared on this post, in the ALT and sector group newsletters, and on the ALT LinkedIn page.
In addition to the ALT–organised workshops, ALT is supporting spray events being held by the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) for field crops and by Zespri for kiwifruit.
The Zespri workshops are being held in June and are open to other attendees from other ALT sectors. Further information and registration about the Zespri workshops will be available here as details are confirmed.
The FAR events will be held in August, with information and registration available in the events section of the FAR website closer to the time.
