What is a crucial step before applying any pesticide on a crop?

Evaluating the weather conditions is essential before applying any pesticide on a crop because weather can significantly affect the efficacy of the pesticide and the safety of its application. If conditions are too windy, for example, the pesticide may drift to non-target areas, potentially harming beneficial plants, wildlife, or even humans in adjacent areas. Rain shortly after application can also wash away the pesticide, reducing its effectiveness and potentially leading to environmental contamination. Additionally, high temperatures or high humidity can influence how well the pesticide works, as well as the risks of phytotoxicity or plant injury.

While determining the market price of the crop may be relevant for economic decisions, and assessing weed populations can help determine the need for pesticide application, they do not have the direct impact on the application process itself as weather does. Checking the irrigation schedule may be relevant to certain aspects of crop health but does not directly influence the immediate application of pesticides in the same critical way that weather conditions do.