If your backpack sprayer delivers two gallons per minute and it takes you five minutes to cover a 1000 sq ft test plot, what is the gallons per acre application rate?

To determine the gallons per acre application rate from the given information, you need to convert the rate of the backpack sprayer into an acre rate based on the area covered.

First, calculate how many gallons are delivered in five minutes. Since the sprayer delivers two gallons per minute, if you operate it for five minutes, you will use:

2 gallons/minute × 5 minutes = 10 gallons.

Next, you need to determine how many acres are in the area you covered. The test plot is 1,000 square feet. There are 43,560 square feet in one acre. Thus, the number of acres in the 1,000 square feet is:

1,000 sq ft ÷ 43,560 sq ft/acre ≈ 0.023 acres.

Now, to find the application rate in gallons per acre, you'll divide the total gallons used by the acreage covered:

10 gallons ÷ 0.023 acres ≈ 434.78 gallons per acre.

This value rounds to approximately 435 gallons per acre, making that the correct application rate. The reason this calculation is essential is that it allows you to quantify how much pesticide or herbicide you're applying over a standard area, ensuring you're meeting required application