Poster # 115

Ignacio Agustin Perez ¹, Luis E. Gehrke ¹, Eli Gravert ², Terry N. Spurlock ³, Jessica Rutkoski ¹, and Boris X. Camiletti ¹
1. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Department of Crop Science, Urbana, IL 61801
2. Grow Pro Genetics, Hamel, IL 62046
3. University of Arkansas, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Lonoke, AR 72086
Corresponding Author: Ignacio Agustin Perez, iaperez@illinois.edu

Perez, Ignacio Agustin

iaperez@illinois.edu

Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by Fusarium graminearum, remains a major threat to wheat production in the U.S. Midwest due to yield losses and contamination of grain with deoxynivalenol (DON). This study evaluated the efficacy of aerial fungicide applications using a sprayer drone at different spray volumes. The field trial was conducted in a commercial plot near Hamel, Illinois in 2025 using a susceptible variety (GP 543) and a randomized complete block design with four replications. Plots were 30 ft long by 60 ft wide, and applications were delivered using a 10-ft swath width to ensure uniform spray distribution. Treatments included applications of Miravis Ace (13.7 fl oz/ac) at spray volumes of 2, 3, and 5 gallons per acre (GPA), and an untreated control. Applications were made at Feekes 10.51 (50% anthesis) on May 5^th using a DJI Agras T10 drone flying 10 ft above the canopy. Disease incidence and severity were evaluated four weeks after the sprays. Plots were harvested on June 23^rd, and grain samples were analyzed for DON concentrations. Drone-based fungicide applications significantly reduced both FHB incidence and severity compared with the untreated control. The 5 GPA application achieved the greatest efficacy, lowering mean FHB severity from 19.3 % in the control to 9.3 % and reducing incidence from 28 % to 18.6 %. Intermediate reductions were observed with the 3 GPA and 2 GPA rates. Despite these significant disease reductions, grain yield did not differ statistically among treatments, although treated plots tended to produce higher yields. DON concentrations followed the disease trend, decreasing significantly from 2.15 ppm in untreated plots to 1.02 ppm at 5 GPA. These findings indicate that drone-based applications effectively suppressed FHB and mycotoxin accumulation in Illinois wheat, with higher spray volumes providing greater protection. Further research is warranted to refine UAV application parameters, optimize canopy coverage, and evaluate performance under diverse environmental conditions.

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