What is an important consideration during temperature inversions regarding pesticide applications?

During temperature inversions, one of the critical considerations for pesticide applications is the extended suspension of small droplets in the air. Temperature inversions occur when a layer of cooler air is trapped near the ground by a layer of warmer air above it. This phenomenon can significantly affect the behavior of airborne particles, including pesticide droplets.

Under these conditions, small droplets can remain suspended in the air for longer periods instead of settling quickly to the ground. This increased suspension time can lead to enhanced drift, where the pesticides can travel beyond the target area due to wind or other air movements. As a result, the risk of unintended exposure to non-target organisms and the surrounding environment rises, making it essential for applicators to be particularly cautious and ideally avoid pesticide applications during temperature inversions.

In contrast, the other factors such as efficiency of absorption, evaporation rates, and degradation are less relevant during inversions, since the immediate concern lies in the behavior of the droplets in the air rather than what's happening to them under different conditions or over time.