Drone Technology for Crop Disease Resistance: Innovations and Challenges
Gangadhara Doggalli *
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, UAS, Dharwad, 580 005, India.
Santhoshinii E
Department of Plant Pathology, UAS, Dharwad, 580 005, India.
Manojkumar H G
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, UAS, Dharwad, 580 005, India.
Mitali Srivastava
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, India.
Ganesh H S
Department of Plant Pathology, UAS Raichur 584101, India.
Amruta Barigal
Department of Plant Pathology, UAS, Dharwad, 580 005, India.
Anithaa V
Department of Agricultural Entomology, UAS, Dharwad, 580 005, India.
Arfa Ameen
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, UAS, Dharwad, 580 005, India.
Ritama Kundu
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, UAS, Dharwad, 580 005, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Drones have been used for diverse application purposes in precision agriculture and new ways of using them are being explored. Many drone applications have been developed for different purposes such as pest detection, crop yield prediction, crop spraying, yield estimation, water stress detection, land mapping, identifying nutrient deficiency in plants, weed detection, livestock control, protection of agricultural products and soil analysis. Drones can create georeferenced maps that pinpoint the exact location of disease outbreaks within a field. These maps help farmers and agronomists monitor disease progression and plan targeted interventions. Drone operations are highly dependent on weather conditions. High winds, rain, and fog can hinder drone flights and affect the quality of images captured. Addressing technical limitations, regulatory and safety concerns, economic barriers, and data management issues will be crucial for the widespread adoption of drones in agriculture. By overcoming these challenges, drone technology can become a vital tool in sustainable and effective crop disease management.
Keywords: Crop disease management, agricultural products, drones, soil analysis