Brazil’s Pesticide Drift Risk: Where and When It Peaks

Pesticides are used more in Brazil than anywhere else, and this can hurt nature and the economy. One big problem is spray drift – tiny droplets that fly off the target area. Weather can make this worse.

Scientists looked at temperature, humidity and wind from weather stations all over Brazil to figure out when spraying is safest. They used this data to calculate a “drift risk” score for each place.

The scores were grouped by region and plotted to see patterns over months and hours. The northern part of Brazil had the highest average risk, while the southern region was safest.

In the central‑west zone, August and September were the riskiest months. Across all regions, the danger peaks at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. (UTC–3).

Which weather factor matters most?

• North: high temperatures drive risk.
• Northeast, Midwest and Southeast: low humidity is key.
• South: strong winds raise danger levels.

By knowing these trends, farmers can time their sprays better, use equipment more efficiently and cut down on environmental harm.