When a nozzle wears, what is a likely change to spray output?

When a nozzle experiences wear, the most likely change to spray output is that the output volume increases. This happens because wear can create larger orifices in the nozzle, allowing more liquid to flow through than originally intended. As a nozzle deteriorates, its ability to maintain the designed spray pattern diminishes, often resulting in an increased rate of application. This can lead to unintended overdosing of the target area, impacting the effectiveness of the application and potentially causing harm to the environment or the crop itself.

The other options wouldn't accurately describe the typical behavior of a worn nozzle. For example, if the output became inconsistent, it would suggest variability in spray rate, but an increase in output volume generally leads to a more definite change in performance. If the output volume remained consistent, it would imply that the wear did not affect the functioning of the nozzle, which is unlikely in practical applications. Noting that the output volume decreases would indicate that the nozzle is damaging its capacity, which isn't the common outcome for worn nozzles.