Sensor-based variable-rate fungicide application in winter wheat.

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Engineering
• Plant Science
• Precision Agriculture

Background:

• Current agricultural practices lack automated disease detection during field operations.
• A novel approach using camera sensors for target-oriented fungicide spraying was investigated.
• This method aims to adjust spray liquid dosage based on local plant surface and biomass variations in winter wheat.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a sensor-based system for adaptive fungicide application.
• To determine the correlation between sensor readings and plant parameters (leaf area index, biomass).
• To assess the efficacy and efficiency of target-oriented spraying compared to uniform application.

Main Methods:

• A camera sensor was integrated with a field boom sprayer's dosing system.
• Linear correlation analysis was performed between sensor values and plant parameters.
• Spray volume was dynamically adjusted based on real-time sensor data during field trials.

Main Results:

• A significant linear correlation was established between sensor values and leaf area index/biomass.
• The system successfully adapted spray volume to local conditions, resulting in 8% spray liquid savings.
• No significant differences in crop yield or disease incidence were observed between the tested methods.

Conclusions:

• Sensor-based, target-oriented fungicide application is a viable alternative to conventional uniform spraying practices.
• This precision agriculture technology offers potential for optimizing resource use in crop protection.
• The system demonstrates effectiveness without compromising crop yield or disease management.