Trainers open up on sprayers to students on plant protection

Students taking plant protection products application competency courses are learning the inside story on knapsack sprayer function to aid maintenance best practice.

Leading educational establishments nationwide are now able to procure stripped-back knapsacks for use when delivering PPPA courses.

Harper Adams University and Scotland’s Rural University College for example have proven them useful training aids by showing students the inner workings of the equipment.

Manufacturer Hozelock Exel’s UK arm can supply Cooper Pegler and Berthoud knapsacks complete with cutaway tanks to display parts such as the diaphragm and piston.

“This is an innovative move to raise awareness of knapsack sprayers’ working parts,” says Jonathan Spibey, Managing Director of TWR Training Ltd, which runs PPPA competency courses across Britain.

“Students who understand how professional knapsack sprayers function can better diagnose problems,” he adds. “Rather than simply binning the unit or seeking a replacement model, they can investigate and resolve the issue themselves.”