Evaluation of drone technology in paddy ecosystem against key insect pests

S. NAVEEN; ROOPA S. PATIL; D. N. KAMBREKAR; SHRIPAD KULKARNI

doi:10.61475/JFS.2025.v38i4.16

S. NAVEEN Department of Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad -580 005, India
ROOPA S. PATIL Department of Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad -580 005, India
D. N. KAMBREKAR Department of Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad -580 005, India
SHRIPAD KULKARNI Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Dharwad University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad -580 005, India

DOI: https://doi.org/10.61475/JFS.2025.v38i4.16

Keywords: Drone, Knapsack sprayer, Natural enemies, Rice leaf folder, Rice ear head bug

Abstract

This study, conducted at ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Malagi farm, Karnataka, during the kharif season of 2023- 24, evaluated the effectiveness of drone spray technology compared to knapsack sprayers in managing key insect pests inpaddy specifically the rice leaf folder (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis) and rice ear head bug (Leptocorisa oratorius). Theinsecticides used were fipronil 5% SC and profenophos 50% EC applied during the vegetative and reproductive phases ofthe crop. Drone spraying demonstrated superior pest control, with higher reductions in pest damage compared to knapsacksprayers. For leaf folder control, fipronil via drone reduced leaf damage by 66.96 per cent in the first application, whileprofenophos recorded a 53.74 per cent reduction. Similar trends were observed for the ear head bug. Additionally, dronespraying had a lesser impact on natural enemies, such as spiders, coccinellids dragon and damselflies, compared to knapsackmethods. The results highlight the advantages of drone technology in providing precise pesticide application ensuring betterpest management reduced ecological impact and improved conservation of beneficial insects making it a promising alternativefor sustainable agriculture.