By Blake Jackson
The University of Kentucky Research and Education Center is advancing efforts to optimize drone-based spray systems to enhance foliar disease management in cornfields across Kentucky.
This collaborative project between the departments of Plant Pathology and Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment has entered its second year, supported by the Kentucky Corn Growers Association. Researchers plan to present their latest findings to farmers in a workshop scheduled for late February.
According to plant pathology specialist and principal investigator Kiersten Wise, previous research demonstrated that drones offer a practical solution for fungicide applications, particularly in small fields inaccessible to traditional aircraft due to trees or other barriers. If left untreated, corn foliar diseases can cost Kentucky farmers up to $15 per acre.
“Our 2019 on-farm research conducted with Cooperative Extension agents in several counties indicated that foliar fungicides applied by a drone at tasseling and early silking can effectively manage gray leaf spot in corn when using recommended spray carrier volumes,” Wise said. “Once we learned that drone fungicide applications can be effective at managing foliar diseases, we had even more questions about how to optimize these applications.”
Wise, along with precision agriculture specialist Tim Stombaugh, is exploring how drones compare to traditional high-clearance ground sprayers and how variables like flight speed and altitude influence spray coverage.
“Just in the last couple of years, the amount of corn acres that are sprayed by drones has exploded,” Wise said. “Farmers who may have contracted high-clearance equipment or helicopters and airplanes to apply fungicides are now using drones. And this is not just in Kentucky. It’s a national trend.”
Their findings reveal that actual swath widths often differ from manufacturer specifications, with environmental factors such as wind affecting spray patterns. “Even at low wind speeds, we sometimes see the spray deposition on the corn ear leaves can shift, which can also affect efficacy,” Stombaugh said.
“Those are some of the things that we've looked at and are trying to relay to farmers. Swath width and the pattern accuracy can be affected by a lot of different factors.”
Trials conducted in 2024 and 2025 showed both drone and ground applications effectively reduced disease. Wise and Stombaugh emphasize that continued research will refine drone application settings to maximize disease control and yield benefits.
A hands-on workshop is set for February 26, 2026, in Princeton to share these insights with Kentucky corn farmers.
For registration, visit https://KATSDronePatternTesting2026.eventbrite.com.
Photo Credit: pexels-flo-dnd
Categories: Kentucky, Crops, Corn