Signs inform public about drone crop protection

German farmers are increasingly using modern technologies, such as drones in crop protection.

A field sign campaign initiated by BayWa together with farmers now points this out: during the past few weeks, around 200 field signs have been set up in 30 districts in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg to inform hikers and cyclists about biological pest control in maize.

So far 53 farmers in Bavaria and 77 farmers in Baden-Württemberg have taken part in the campaign.

Beneficial insects against European corn borer

In the fields where the signs have been placed, drones were used between mid-June and late July to deploy beneficial insects against the European corn borer. The corn borer causes considerable damage in maize stocks. According to estimates, the pest each year destroys around 41 million tonnes of the world’s corn crop – in purely mathematical terms, 10 years of corn production in Germany.

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So far 53 farmers in Bavaria and 77 farmers in Baden-Württemberg have taken part in the campaign. – Photo: BayWa

Environmentally friendly crop protection

A – very elaborate – alternative to chemical treatment against the European corn borer was already at hand during pre-drone times: the farmer had to run through his corn stocks and deploy the beneficial organisms by hand.

Using drones, environmentally friendly crop protection can be implemented much more efficiently and faster – in both organic and conventional farming.