During one of the most critical growth stages of winter rapeseed, the DroneUA group of companies hosted the practical conference "Increasing Rapeseed Profitability with Agricultural Drones. Harvest 2023 Without Losses". The event took place on May 26, 2023, at the AgriLab International Precision Farming Center in the Boryspil district of the Kyiv region.
The conference brought together agricultural experts who shared practical experience in rapeseed cultivation and demonstrated effective crop protection strategies, including the use of XAG agricultural drones for precision spraying.
Why Agricultural Drones Matter
Modern agricultural robotics has become far more than an innovative technology—it is an essential tool for maximizing yields while minimizing production costs. As farmers face increasing pressure to optimize resources, agricultural drones provide an efficient method of applying plant protection products with greater precision and lower operational expenses.
This approach is particularly valuable for rapeseed, a high-value crop that is highly sensitive to mechanical damage and production losses. Growing demand for rapeseed and expanding export opportunities to European markets make efficient crop protection more important than ever.
Challenges in Rapeseed Production
According to Ihor Haro, Head of the Breeding and Variety Testing Department at DSV Ukraine, global rapeseed production for the 2022/23 season was projected to reach approximately 76.2 million tonnes. However, growers continue to face significant risks throughout the growing season.
Major sources of crop loss include:
- Plant mortality.
- Leaf loss.
- Reduction in bud formation.
- Decreased leaf area.
- Poor pollination.
- Flower drop.
- Reduced seed development.
- Pod shattering before harvest.
Diseases and insect pests remain among the primary causes of yield losses, making timely and accurate crop protection essential.
Advantages of Drone-Based Crop Protection
Traditional ground sprayers often damage crops by creating tramlines, compacting the soil, and reducing access to nutrients. These factors can decrease yields while increasing production costs.
Using agricultural drones helps farmers avoid these issues by:
- Eliminating crop trampling and preserving productive field area.
- Preventing soil compaction.
- Applying plant protection products with high precision.
- Reducing operational costs.
- Maintaining healthier crops throughout the growing season.
Applying Growth Regulators, Pod Sealants, and Desiccants
Growth regulators play a vital role in managing winter rapeseed development. They help plants enter winter in the optimal growth stage and prevent excessive stem elongation and lodging during spring vegetation.
Agricultural drones enable these products to be applied quickly, accurately, and without causing mechanical damage to the crop.
Another important challenge occurs before harvest, when pods on the lower part of the plant may begin to crack while the upper pods are still maturing. In unfavorable weather conditions, these losses can exceed 50% of the potential harvest.
Applying specialized pod sealants creates a flexible polymer coating that protects pods from premature cracking while allowing seeds to mature evenly over the following two weeks. This significantly reduces harvest losses and improves overall crop quality.
