August 20, 2020
DJI Drone MG-1S
Potato late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans, is a devastating oomycete disease that causes leaf death and tuber rot in potatoes.
Potato late blight
Late blight
The leaves are infected with water-soaked green-brown spots first on the leaf tips or leaf margins, with a light green halo around the lesions. When the humidity is high, the lesions rapidly expand and turn brown, and a circle of white molds, namely cysts and spores, is formed. The sac, especially on the back of the leaf, is most obvious; when the disease is dry, the lesions become brown and dry, brittle and easy to crack, no white mold is seen, and the expansion speed is slowed down, and the stem or petiole is infected with brown streaks.
The severely diseased leaves droop and curl, and eventually, the whole plant is black and rotted, and the whole field is scorched and rotten. Potato late blight occurs all over the world and typically reduces yields by 30% in epidemic years.
Situation
At the invitation of Yongshan County Agricultural Bureau, Yunnan Nongchou Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. participated in the drone spraying operation.
Work area
A total of 6 drones were dispatched for this operation, with a total operating area of 600 Acres. The operation mode combining automatic and manual operation was adopted, and a total of two spraying operations were carried out. The interval is 7 days.
Crop Information
Late blight is one of the most important diseases of potatoes, and this work focuses on prevention.
Crop Type | Acres | Growth period | Object | Description |
Potato | 600 | Flowering | Late blight | Prevention |
Job information
Time | 2017.06.23-07.03 | Location | Yongshan County |
Terrain | Hillside | Environment | Altitude 2400-2700 meters, 23°C, 79%, breeze |
Environmental information
This operation is a high-altitude operation, which tests the MG-1S’s operational endurance at high altitudes. According to the feedback from the operators, in this operation, the MG-1S can still guarantee that a box of liquid medicine can be sprayed with one battery.
Operation parameters
Mode | Manual | Speed | 4M/S |
Altitude | 2M | Space | 4M |
Apply Rate | 4.8-7.2L/acre | Nozzle Model | Fan nozzle XR11001 |
Due to the differences in the growth of potato seedlings in different plots, the amount of rate per acre is slightly different.
Medication Information
This operation was divided into two applications, 7 days apart. According to local medication habits and market conditions, the wettable powder was used for both applications.
Suggestion: Avoid using wettable powder as much as possible in the operation of plant protection drones to avoid clogging of the nozzle or filter.
Fungicide name | Formulation | Active ingredients and content | Acre Dosage |
Jin Jin (Nail Cream Manganese Zinc) | Wettable powder | Total composition 58% (metalaxyl 10%, mancozeb 48%) | 480g |
Green State 98 Broad Spectrum | Foliar fertilizer | / | 125g |
First medication
Fungicide name | Formulation | Active ingredients and content | Acre Dosage |
Antaisheng (Prosenzinc) | Wettable powder | 70% | 600g |
Silver Farley (Fluorobacteria, Promethazine) | suspending agent | Total composition 687.5g/L (fluopyram 62.5g/L, propamocarb hydrochloride 625g/L) | 360ml |
Second medication
This time, MG-1S was used to prevent potato late blight in 4 townships in Yongshan County. The growers personally experienced the uniformity and atomization effect of MG-1S spraying. After spraying, growers reported that there was basically no late blight in potato fields, and the preventive effect was outstanding.
UAV plant protection operations have brought us more convenience, allowing people to fully appreciate the power of technology. With the advancement of technology, traditional production methods will change, and more efficient and convenient production tools will further improve production efficiency.