Impact of sensor-controlled variable-rate fungicide application on yield, senescence and disease occurrence in winter wheat fields.

BACKGROUND: Field experiments examining target-oriented variable-rate fungicide spraying were performed in 2015 and 2016. The spray volume was adapted in real time to the local green coverage level of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), which was detected using a camera sensor.

RESULTS: Depending on the growth heterogeneity in the three strip trials in 2015, fungicide savings in the sensor-sprayed strip compared with the adjacent uniformly sprayed strip were 44%, 45% and 1%. In the 2016 field trial, the saving was 12%. There was no greater level of senescence or disease occurrence, and no higher yield losses in the camera-controlled variable-rate sprayed strips compared with the adjacent uniformly sprayed strips.

CONCLUSIONS: From an ecological and economical point of view, sensor-controlled variable-rate spraying technology, which uses the level of green crop coverage as the plant parameter to adapt the spray volume locally, can be an alternative to the common practice of uniform spraying. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.