Orchards
Orchard spray rates per 100 litres, explained
A per-100-litre rate on a label is the amount of product to add to every 100 litres of spray when you spray the canopy to the point of runoff (a dilute spray). The product per hectare is the label rate × the water volume ÷ 100. If you spray concentrate with less water, you raise the mix rate by the same factor so the product per hectare stays the same.
Last updated 17 October 2026. General information only, not legal or compliance advice. Rules differ by product, region and programme, so check the label, your regional plan and your programme’s current requirements.
The basics: dilute spraying
The Australian Wine Research Institute defines dilute spraying as spraying to the “point of runoff”, using the label rate in grams or millilitres per 100 litres. The water volume that takes you to runoff is the dilute volume, and it depends on the canopy: bigger, denser canopies need more water, so the volume goes up through the season.
Worked example (made up): a label rate of 50 mL per 100 L with a dilute volume of 1,200 L per hectare applies 50 × 1,200 ÷ 100 = 600 mL of product per hectare.
Concentrate spraying
Concentrate (low-volume) spraying applies less water than the volume needed to reach runoff, but the same amount of product per hectare. The mix in the tank is therefore stronger. The AWRI describes it this way: the concentration of product in the mixture increases in proportion as the water volume decreases.
Continuing the example: if you spray 600 L per hectare instead of 1,200, the factor is 1,200 ÷ 600 = 2 (called 2× concentrate). Mix 50 × 2 = 100 mL per 100 L. Product per hectare is 100 × 600 ÷ 100 = 600 mL, the same as before.
Concentrate spraying depends on sprayer set-up and droplet size to keep coverage. Check your product’s label and your programme for any limit on concentrate rates before you use a factor.
Working out the tank
- Hectares per tank = tank size ÷ water volume per hectare. A 2,000 L tank at 600 L per hectare covers 3.33 ha.
- Product per tank = mix rate per 100 L × tank size ÷ 100. At 100 mL per 100 L in 2,000 L, that is 2,000 mL.
- Check: 3.33 ha × 600 mL per hectare = 2,000 mL. The two methods agree.
Free rate calculator
Put in your label rate and your volumes. The calculator does the same sums as above. It is a convenience, so check the answer against the label before you mix.
- Concentration factor
- 2×
- Mix rate per 100 L in the tank
- 100 mL
- Product per hectare
- 600 mL
- Hectares per tank
- 3.33 ha
- Product per tank
- 2 L
- Total product for 2.4 ha
- 1.44 L
- Tanks needed
- 0.72
Check every answer against the product label, including maximum rates per hectare and any limit on concentrate spraying.
What to record so you can check it later
- The label rate per 100 L, and the mix rate if you used a concentrate factor.
- The water volume in litres per hectare.
- The area sprayed, tank size and number of tanks.
- The total product used.
Sowsay’s CSV export has columns for the rate, area treated, total product, water rate, tank size, number of tanks and total spray volume, so these end up in the same row. See our spray diary example for layouts.
Zespri also says equipment calibration must be recorded annually. Calibration is what makes a water-volume number trustworthy.
Say the rate the way orchardists say it
Tell Sowsay “50 mil per 100 litres, 1,200 litres a hectare” and it works out the total product for the area. You check it on the confirm screen.
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Questions and answers
What does “per 100 litres” on a label mean?
It is the amount of product to put in every 100 litres of spray water when you spray a dilute application, to the point of runoff. The more water you need to wet the canopy, the more product you use per hectare.
How do I convert a per-100-litre rate to a per-hectare rate?
Multiply the label rate by the water volume in litres per hectare, then divide by 100. For 50 mL per 100 L at 1,200 L per hectare, that is 600 mL per hectare.
What is 2× concentrate?
It means you use half the water volume you would for a dilute spray and double the mix rate, so the product per hectare stays the same.
Can I use any concentrate factor I like?
Not necessarily. Coverage, the label and your programme’s rules can all limit it, so check them first. This guide explains the arithmetic only.
Does the calculator replace the label?
No. Always follow the product label, including maximum rates per hectare and any restrictions on application.
Sources
- Australian Wine Research Institute: Determining chemical rates for dilute and concentrate spraying
- Zespri Industry Site: Agrichemical use (records, calibration)
- EPA: Agrichemicals guidance for business (keep records)
Checked 17 October 2026. Programme rules and legislation change, so check the current source. General information only, not legal or compliance advice. Rules differ by product, region and programme, so check the label, your regional plan and your programme’s current requirements.
More guides
- Kiwifruit & orchardsSpray diary records for kiwifruit and orchardsZespri’s spray and fertiliser diary expectations, calibration, contractors, and records for other orchard crops.
- ExamplesA spray diary example, filled inFour filled-in example entries: arable spray, orchard spray, fertiliser pass and contractor job.
- Voice loggingHow to record a spray by voice, in the paddockWhat to say, example phrases, and how to check the record, so a short spoken note replaces writing it up at night.
Say it once. Keep the record.
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