TNAUs Cotton Research Station at Vepanthattai demonstrating the use of drones in farming. | Photo Credit: HAND OUT

Utility of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) for a wide range of plant protection and plant care applications was explained to cotton farmers by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University's Cotton Research Station at Veppanthattai in Perambalur district, on Thursday.

Besides spraying, drones were utilised for data collection on area of sowing, pest and disease incidence, S. Somasundaram, Associate Professor and Head of CRS, said. Mechanical harvest treatments with Mepiquat Chloride and defoliant sprays can be easily carried out with drones in cotton. It is highly useful in precision cotton farming, Prof. Somasundaram told farmers attending the training on 'Application of drones in cotton farming'.

Interacting with the farmers, K. Subrahmaniyan, Director, Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute, said introduction of drones signifies modernisation of agriculture in Tamil Nadu.

Use of drones will be of immense help in maintaining timelines and addressing labour scarcity in cotton farming, Pachiammal, Assistant Director of Agriculture, Veppanthattai, explained.

ADA faculty Sakthivel said the drone was demonstrated in high density planting system in cotton with compact variety CO 17. Rajasekar, Regional Manager, UPL Ltd., Coimbatore and Paranjothi, Field Officer, IFFCO, Tiruchi, dwelt on the benefits of combined application of Nano Urea and ortho salicylic acid in cotton. Garuda Aerospace, Chennai, trained the rural youth of Veppanthattai to operate the drone.

Last week, the CRS conducted a training and demonstration on Application of nano urea in cotton.

TNAU has been concentrating on nanotechnology-based application in agriculture, Prof. Somasundaram said. With four percent nano mitogen particles - the size of these particles is about 25 to 50 nano meter - in it, nano urea was applied through foliage to all crops including cotton.

The nitrogen use efficiency of nano urea is 80 per cent as the surface area was high in nano urea, Prof. Somasundaram said. Nano urea based foliar application was of high use in dryland cotton farming, he said.

Farmers were told that compatible pesticides could be sprayed with nano urea, but, it should not be mixed as a tank mixture beforehand, to avoid precipitation.

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Printable version | Jun 23, 2022 7:58:41 pm | https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/drones-come-to-the-aid-of-cotton-farmers/article65557883.ece