Cotton, one of the major agricultural income sources for Turkey, gained increased attention due to the expansion of the country’s textiles and clothing industries in 2022. Turkey’s cotton production in the marketing year 2022/23 is expected to rise to 925,000 metric tons based on the assumption that farmers will grow more cotton in response to stronger cotton prices in the future. As a major cash and industrial crop of Turkey, cotton is an important raw material in the domestic economy, contributing to export revenues and the livelihoods of people engaged in the cotton value chain.
Cottons are grown in sandy soil with little nutrients, which are easily exposed to malnutrition during the growth period, increasing the risk of fragile stem and pest attacks. Prior to the harvest date, cotton producers usually apply defoliant to cotton to improve the harvesting efficiency of machineries as well as guaranteeing the quality of cotton bolls. Currently, 80% of the cotton is harvested with machinery, mostly with tractors, which cause crop damage during the harvest process.
In September, 2022, the DJI Agriculture team went onto two cotton fields in Turkey with a local plant protection team to see how different DJI Agras drones solve problems that cotton would encounter during different growing phases. Both of the cases were effective onsite and the operation parameters as well as the chemical category and dosage were documented.
1. Growing phase troubleshooting: stem strengthening & pest control
Drone Spraying
The first operation took place on September 28, 2022 in the cotton field of Küçükçıldırın Village in the city of Adana of Turkey.
When arriving at the cotton field, the plant protection team found that the cotton straws were weak and fragile due to lack of potassium. Some pests were also observed on the plants, including helicoverpa armigera (green worm) and gelechia gossypiella (pink bollworm) and Aphid.
Operation Environment
| Date of Spray | 28.09.2022 | Location | Turkiye, Adana, Seyhan, Büyükdikili, Küçükçıldırın Village – 36.93°N/35.15°E 41mt Altitude |
| Type of Terrain | Plain | Temperature (℃) | 24.5°C |
| Total sprayed Area (ha.) | 10 ha | Humidity | % 78 |
| Wind speed(m/s) | 15 km/s | Wind direction | North-East |
Operation Parameters
| Type of Drone | DJI Agras T30 | Firmware Version | v.509 |
| Operation mode | Route Op. Mode | Operation Speed | 23 km/s |
| Operation height (from the top of the crop) | 3 Meters | Line spacing/ width | 8 Meters |
| Liquid amount sprayed per hectare (or per MU) | 10 Liters | Nozzle type | XR TEEJET
11001V8 |
Chemicals used
Credit to SZR Tarım Drone Spraying
| Chemical commercial name | Formulation | Active ingredient and the percentage | Chemical amount (g or ml) used per hectare |
| Ekvator | 20 SL Fluent Concentrate Suspension Concentrate | 88 g/l Mepiquat
Chloride + 22 g/l Cyclanilide |
400 ml |
| Liberator | 10 EC Emulsion Concentrate | 100g/1 Pyriproxyfen | 10 L water and
500 cc chemical |
| Arrivo | 20 EL Emulsion | 200 g/l Cypermethrin | 10 L water and
1000 cc chemical |
| Corragen | 20 SL Fluent Concentrate Suspension Concentrate | 200 g/l Chlorantraniliprole | 10 L water and
200 cc chemical |
| Flash Kali | Emulsion Concentrate | Potassium Oxide | 10 L water and
1500 cc chemical |
After the operation, pests were eliminated from the plants and the cotton stems have become stronger because of the added potassium. There was no damage to the cotton caused by the tractor. As the client saw the effect of the spraying in time, he agreed on the effectiveness of drone spraying.
2. Mature Period: Bolls Started to Open 7 Days After Defoliant Application
Purpose of Operation
The other operation took place on September 10, 2022 upon a client’s request. The defoliant application was scheduled 14 days prior to harvest, so that the cotton plant flowers would be opened totally and be ready for harvesting.
There were no damages observed on the plants. This defoliant application is made for drying the plant and opening the cotton bolls. The bolls on the field were observed to be open about 70% and this defoliant application is made for opening of the remaining bolls.
Before the defoliant application, credit to Çukurova Gübre Tarımcılık
Normal tractor spraying causes damage to the plant and reduces the amount as well as the quality of the harvest. So the client agreed to make this application from the air by drone.
Operation Result
After 7 days from the defoliant application, most bolls were observed to be opened. Leaves were dried and fell down, which means all the plants were ready for harvesting.
Day 7, credit to Çukurova Gübre Tarımcılık
Operation Environment
| Date of Spray | 11.09.2022 | Location | Turkiye, Adana, Karataş, Karagöçer – 36.71°N/35.15°E 11mt Altitude |
| Type of Terrain | Plain | Temperature(℃) | 22°C |
| Total sprayed Area(ha.) | 2,5 ha | Humidity | 61% |
| Wind speed(m/s) | 0 km/s | Wind direction | – |
Operation Parameters
| Type of Drone | DJI Agras T10 | Firmware Version | v.01.00.509 |
| Operation mode | Route Op. Mode | Operation Speed | 15 km/s |
| Operation height(from the top of the crop) | 2 Meters | Line spacing / width | 4.25 Meters |
| Liquid amount sprayed per hectare (or per MU) | 14 Liters | Nozzle type | XR TEEJET
11001V8 |
3. Info of Chemicals
Credit to Çukurova Gübre Tarımcılık
| Chemical commercial name | Formulation | Active ingredient and the percentage | Chemical amount (g or ml) used per hectare |
| Baystar | Defoliating Agent 10-14 before harvest |
Thidiazuron + Diuron
119.75 + 59.88 g/l |
600 ml |
| Extang | Boll Opener 14 before harvest |
Ethephol
720 g/l |
2000 ml |
Operation Take-away:
We observed a better effect on the plants when spraying at a lower speed and with less concentration of the defoliant per hectare. These operation parameters used were 100% effective on site. On the 14th day after the operation, the client was able to harvest at great convenience.
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