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Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin ›› 2025, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (23): 111-116.doi: 10.11924/j.issn.1000-6850.casb2025-0124

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Influence of Water Application Volumes of Plant Protection UAV on Control Efficacy of Rice Sheath Blight

WANG Yanqiu(), GU Xiao, ZHOU Cheng, MAO Huiying, CHEN Yong()   

  1. Shanghai Songjiang District Agricultural Technology Extension Center, Shanghai 201600
  • Received:2025-02-24 Revised:2025-06-15 Online:2025-08-19 Published:2025-08-19

Abstract:

To optimize the pesticide application parameters of plant protection drones, this study systematically evaluated the effects of different water application rates on the control efficacy against rice sheath blight and the economic benefits, aiming to provide a scientific basis for precise drone-based pesticide application. Using the DJI T40 drone, field experiments were conducted in Songjiang District, Shanghai, from 2023 to 2024. Three water application rate gradients (30, 45, and 67.5 L/hm2) were set, with pesticides applying at the jointing and heading stages of rice, and the control efficacy in terms of diseased plant rate and disease index was monitored. (1) At the jointing stage, there were no significant differences in control efficacy among the gradients (diseased plant control efficacy: 85.57%-87.68%; disease index control efficacy: 89.86%-91.34%). (2) At the heading stage, the control efficacy at 30 L/hm2 was significantly lower than that at other gradients (P< 0.05), while there was no significant difference between 45 L/hm2 and 67.5 L/hm2 (P>0.05). In 2023, the diseased plant control efficacy ranged from 79.71% to 91.99%, and the disease index control efficacy ranged from 89.47% to 94.95%. In 2024, 7 days after pesticide application, the diseased plant control efficacy was 78.86%-95.01%, and the disease index control efficacy was 85.30%-94.93%; 15 days after application, the diseased plant control efficacy was 73.17%-93.12%, and the disease index control efficacy was 77.38%-92.46%. (3) In terms of economic benefits, the operation efficiency showed a decreasing trend with the increase of water application rate (30L: 4.0 hm2 /h→67.5 L: 2.67 hm2 /h), and the control cost increased by 71.4% with the increase of water application rate (from 1050 to 1800 yuan per application). A differentiated water application strategy is recommended: since the water application rate at the jointing stage has no significant impact on the control efficacy, 30 L/hm2 is recommended (balancing efficiency and cost); as the water application rate at the heading stage has a significant impact on the control efficacy, 45 L/hm2 is preferred (balancing control efficacy and economy).

Key words: plant protection UAV, water application volume, rice, sheath blight, jointing stage, heading stage, field efficacy, precision spraying