What is the primary use of a sprayer in agricultural practices?

A sprayer is primarily used in agricultural practices to deliver pesticides and fertilizers effectively to crops. This tool is essential for managing plant health and optimizing growth. By applying these substances in a targeted manner, sprayers help control pests and diseases, as well as ensure that crops receive the necessary nutrients for development. This precise application can improve crop yield and quality while minimizing waste and environmental impact.

The other choices relate to different agricultural functions that do not align with the primary purpose of a sprayer. For instance, maintaining soil structure involves practices like tillage or cover cropping rather than spraying. Harvesting crops is a separate operation typically done with a combine or other harvesting machinery. Planting seeds requires equipment such as seeders or planters. Each of those processes is critical to agriculture, but they serve distinct roles that do not include the function of delivering agricultural chemicals, which is the unique role of the sprayer.