Impact of Drone Spraying of Nutrients on Growth and Yield of Maize Crop

This study aimed at utilizing unmanned aerial vehicle in place of a conventional hand sprayer for the smart delivery of agricultural inputs especially crop nutrients. A field experiment was conducted in the farms of Agricultural Research Station, Bhavanisagar, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. There were nine treatments which were replicated thrice in a randomized block design. The treatments include NPK 19:19:19 along with liquid micronutrient, humic acid, and TNAU Maize maxim at two intervals viz., 50% Tasselling, and Cob filling stage. These nutrients were applied as foliar spray through battery operated and fuel operated drones and were compared with knapsack hand sprayer. Biometric observations such as plant height, leaf area, dry matter accumulation and yield parameters such as cob yield and number of grains per cob were observed during the critical crop growth stages. Foliar application of nutrients through drones had a significant influence on the growth and yield of maize crop. TNAU Maize maxim applied using the fuel-operated drone with an atomizer nozzle (T7) @ 30 lit/ac spray fluid recorded the maximum biometric and yield attributes than other treatments. Improved biometric attributes like plant height of 261.2 cm and 270.32 cm, LAI of 4.14 and 5.15, and DMP of 12354 kg/ha and 18564 kg/ha at 60 DAS and 90 DAS, respectively was recorded with drone spray. It also resulted in a grain and stover yield of 7195 kg/ha and 10942 kg/ha, respectively than hand sprayer.