LAUSR

BACKGROUND Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are widely used to improve the efficiency of pesticide applications. Low-volume spraying operations require more efficient deposition of droplets on the target surface. Therefore, pesticide deposition and retention on plant surfaces is a serious challenge for modern precision agriculture. Tank-mix adjuvants have been used to improve spray dilutions performance; however, their effects on the physicochemical properties of spray dilutions, dosage delivery, and pesticide dosage are unclear. RESULTS Tank-mix adjuvant 8860 significantly improved the physicochemical properties of spray dilutions, inhibited spray droplets rebound, improved the wetting and spreading performance of spray dilutions on wheat leaves, and increased the effective deposition of tebuconazole on wheat leaves. Even when its dosage was reduced by 1/3, the spray solution still showed excellent disease control and effective deposition of the active ingredient on wheat leaves. CONCLUSION The use of appropriate tank-mix adjuvants in UAV-based plant protection for wheat can significantly improve the performance of spray dilutions, increase the efficiency of pesticide dosage delivery, and improve disease control. These adjuvants can also help reduce the pesticide use while ensuring their effectiveness. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.