Efficacy of UAV-Based Fungicide Applications in Managing Fusarium Head Blight in Wheat

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production is significantly impacted by fungal diseases, with Fusarium head blight (FHB) posing a major threat due to yield loss and contamination with harmful mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON). The potential for UAVs to deliver precise, low-volume pesticide applications has generated significant interest, given their ability to enhance droplet penetration and coverage uniformity. This capability is particularly relevant as traditional methods often face limitations in ensuring consistent pesticide distribution, leading to suboptimal disease control and environmental concerns. Understanding the comparative performance of UAVs and conventional field sprayers (FS) under real agricultural conditions is critical for determining best practices and optimizing disease management strategies. This study investigated the efficacy of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) compared to conventional field sprayers (FS) for fungicide application to control Fusarium head blight (FHB) in wheat fields in the Trakya region of Turkey. The UAV used was a DJI Agras MG-1P equipped with an 8-rotor system and a 4-nozzle setup producing droplet sizes between 106-235 μm, operated at a height of 2 meters, with a 20 L/ha spray rate and 11 km/h speed. The field sprayer employed was a tractor-mounted sprayer with 24 XR110003 nozzles on a 12-meter boom, spraying at a rate of 200 L/ha, 3 bar pressure, and a forward speed of 10 km/h. The field trials were conducted on 25x12 meter plots and each plot was artificially inoculated with Fusarium culmorum S-14 spores at 1x105 spores/ml during the flowering stage. Fungicide applications utilized a 125 g/L prothioconazole plus 125 g/L tebuconazole mixture (Prosaro EC 250), applied 48 hours post-inoculation. Control plots included non-treated infected spikes and fungicide-treated non-infected spikes (UAVC and FSC). Disease severity and incidence were assessed 18 days post-application, and spike weight, kernel weight, and kernel numbers were measured at harvest. The data were analyzed using SPSS for statistical significance, employing ANOVA and post-hoc tests where appropriate. UAV applications yielded significantly lower disease severity (7.77%) and incidence (36.67%) compared to FS (16.73% and 46.67%, respectively), with superior agronomic performance in spike weight (1.80 g), kernel weight (1.36 g), and kernel number (35.53). These results underscore the advantages of UAVs in achieving effective, uniform fungicide coverage and reducing environmental impact, supporting their potential as a sustainable alternative to traditional pesticide application methods in agriculture. Further research is recommended to fine-tune UAV operational parameters for broader agricultural applications.