EFFICIENCY OF PLANT PROTECTION PRODUCT APPLICATION USING DIFFERENT DIGITALIZATION METHODS IN WINTER WHEAT CROPS

Under current conditions of agricultural intensification, biological farming development, and labour shortages, precision technologies for pesticide application are becoming increasingly important. The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, agricultural drones) provides opportunities for uniform and efficient application of herbicides and plant growth regulators, especially under difficult field conditions. This study evaluated the effectiveness of herbicide application using UAVs compared with traditional ground-based spraying in winter wheat crops. The herbicide Triatlon was applied in combination with the plant growth regulator Vympel and a surfactant. The treatments were assessed based on weed infestation parameters, grain yield, and the influence of water quality on the efficiency of ultra-low-volume spraying. The results confirmed that UAV application at a rate of 0.04 kg/ha ensured higher weed control efficiency and yield increase compared with conventional ground spraying. The study also highlighted the importance of water hardness and pH adjustment for achieving optimal results in UAV-based pesticide application. Keywords: winter wheat, UAV, agricultural drone, herbicide, growth regulator, weed control, precision agriculture, spray volume, water quality