Progress 09/01/24 to 08/31/25
Outputs
Target Audience:Growers, extension agents, and researchers Changes/Problems:We are at a research station (Virginia Tech - Eastern Shore AREC, 33446 Research Dr, painter, VA), which is at 6-hour drive from university main campus. Hiring interns, students and post-docs are always challenging for us, especially due to remote area and less connectivity. My current students worked on this project and we accomplished our research goals for the first year (9/1/2023 to 8/31/2024). As current students will be graduating soon, we tried to hire a new student and offered him to start from Spring 2025. However, his visa was denied. We offered him again for Fall 2025 start date and were in the process of re-issuing I-20 when worldwide hold on student visas was placed. We have also offered a graduate research assistantship and PhD position to a student in main campus who his graduating this fall but that student can only start in Spring/ Summer 2026, which seems to be our best possible alternative. Therefore, considering our hiring challenges and current visa hold, which is beyond our purview, I request NIFA to provide us no-cost extension for at least an year, until 8/31/2027. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?We contributed to workshop on Economy, and Wellness at Suffolk, VA and provided training on spray drone which was attended by 30participants from different universities, extension agencies, and farmers. Apart from these we conducted 6 extension events (listed above in accomplishments) where we discussed and provided answers to stakeholders on drone related issues, attended by 600 people. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We demonstrated and displayed our drones, and communicated results through oral presentations and posters at workshops, conference, Virginia Tech's students and faculties tours etc. Therefore, total number of stakeholders who gained knowledge and information about our findings from 9/1/2024 to 6/3/2025 was 600. All events considered for stakeholders' attendence are listed under accomplished goals, as outreach and extension is one of our objectives (Obj. 5). We presented our findings to researchers at these events: Reiter, M., Doughty, H., Flanagan, R., Deitch, U., Pittman, T., Haymaker, J., & Singh, V. (2024). Welcome To Virginia Beach and Virginia Agricultural Overview. In 22nd International Soil Tillage Research Organization Conference. Virginia Beach, VA, USA. Brar, A., Flessner, M., Zhang, B., Reiter, M., & Singh, V. (2024). Influence of different Cover Crops and their Termination Timings on Weed Suppression in Edamame (Glycine max) cultivars. In 22nd International Soil Tillage Research Organization Conference. Virginia Beach, VA, USA. Singh, V., Brar, A., Esmaeilbeiki, F., Wamanse, R., Viric, M., Cooley, R., . . . Martin, D. (2024). Unmanned Aerial Systems bring innovation to agriculture sector. In 22nd International Soil Tillage Research Organization Conference. Virginia Beach, VA, USA. Esmaeilbeiki, F., Brar, A., Wamanse, R., Martin, D., & Singh, V. (2024). Unmanned Aerial System-based spray applications in broccoli. In International Soil and Tillage Research Organization. Virginia Beach, VA. Brar, A. S., Esmaeilbeiki, F., Martin, D., & Singh, V. (2024). Evaluating the effectiveness of Unmanned Aerial Systems for herbicide application in broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. Italica). In ASA-CSSA-SSSA International meeting 2024. San Antonio, TX. Singh, V. (2024). Unmanned Aerial System for precision weed management. In Symposium - Weedy and Invasive Species Community at ASA-CSSA-SSSA International meeting 2024. San Antonio, TX. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 2. Evaluating different nozzle types for greater efficacy of herbicides in watermelon: Studies (as explained previously) will be repeated (Jun 2025 - Dec 2025) Objective 3. Evaluating UAS-based spot spray applications (Jan 2026 - May 2026) Objective 1. Standardization of spray protocols/ applications for blanket spray in watermelon: Field studies will be conducted in watermelon, and preemergence and postemergenceherbicides operations will be evaluated in two seasons (May 2026 - Aug 2026)
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
We have already shown progress towards objective 2, and 5 in the first year and report has been submitted for 9/1/2023 to 8/31/2024. Progress from 9/1/2024to 6/3/2025 Objective 3. Westandardized protocol for spot spray application. Drone company was contacted to assist with Drone deploy software and issues with variation in coordinate system. After thorough analysis, issues have been fixed and spot spray field studies are planned for Summer 2025 and Summer 2026. The process for data collection and implementation of the experiment is finalized. Faculty and one student involved in this project presented findings at Southern Weed Science Society, Northeastern Weed Science Society, and shared our preliminary results at workshops and stakeholders meetings. However, since new students could not join from Fall 2024 or Spring 2025, we could not proceed with planned experiment activities. Field activies and experiment are planned for Summer 2025 (June to Aug 2025), which will be included in next report. Singh V., "Spray Drone Panel" at Kentland Field Day, (Sep 10, 2024), Blacksburg, VA, (Attendees: 70) Singh, V., Brar, A., Viric, M., Esmaeilbeiki, F., Wamanse, R., Cooley, R., Northampton County School Tour (Oct 9, 2024), Cape Charles, VA (Attendees: 250) Singh, V., Brar, A., Viric, M., Esmaeilbeiki, F., Wamanse, R., Cooley, R., Accomack County School Tour (Oct 15, 2024), Parksley, VA (Attendees: 200) Singh, V., ANR tour, Virginia Cooperative Extension (Oct29, 2024), Painter, VA (Attendees: 20) Singh, V., Brar, A., Viric, M., Esmaeilbeiki, F., Wamanse, R., Cooley, R.,Updates Aerial Spray Drone Technology. In The 35th Annual Eastern Shore Agricultural Conference & Trade Show (Jan 30, 2025). Belle Haven, VA (Attendees: 30) Singh, V., Precision Weed Management Technology, Workshop on Economy and Wellness (Apr 9, 2025),Suffolk, VA (Attendees: 30)
Publications
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Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audience were faculties, scientists, extension agents, students, industry representatives, and farmers Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Four students in weed science program were trained on Precision Vision 35X drone by LeadingEdge Aerial Drone Technologies, and DJI Agras T50 drone by Accurate AgDrone (DJI distributor). We conducted first Mid-Atlantic Spray Drone Workshop for stakeholders in July 2024, which was attended by 35 participants from USDA, EPA, universities, extension agencies, and farmers. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We demonstrated and displayed our drones, and communicated results through oral presentations and posters at Eastern Shore Ag Conference, Virginia Tech's students and faculties tours, Ag Fairs, etc. Therefore, total number of stakeholders whogained knowledge and information about our findings until August2024 was 2,575.All events considered for stakeholders' attendence are listed under accomplished goals, as outreach and extension is one of our objectives (Obj. 5). These events were used for various purposes, as indicated by titles but spray drones, and sharing project's results were part of each event. The results and drone-based events included sharing/ communicating findings on vegetables (watermelon, broccoli, tomatoes) and other drone-based projects (corn/ soybean). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 2 studies (as explained previously) will be repeated. Objective 1. Studies will be conducted in watermelon, and preemergence and postemergence herbicides operations will be evaluated. Objective 4. We will collect the data on for economic assessments of the proposed technologies in watermelon. Objective 5. We will continue to conduct our extension programs as listed previously, and disseminate our findings and results to diverse stakeholders in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 2. Swath analysis and droplet sizes of different dronesareimportant at respective altitudes to decide about overlapping of spray pattern for uniform coverage. Also, spray droplet spectra provide us information on droplet size and density which are important considerations for preemergence (PRE) and postemergence (POST) herbicide applications. Previously, We conducted a nozzle testing experiment using the Precision Vision PV35X drone as a part of other projects. Under this project we tested different droplet sizes using DJI Agras T50 drone which sprays using rotary atomizers. Each droplet size was selected based on classification ranging from M-XC (medium to extra coarse), F (fine), F-C (fine to coarse), VC-UC (very coarse to ultra-coarse), and F-VF (fine to very fine), respectively. The experiment was carried out using a water solution at a rate of 4 GPA, mixed with 5 ml of color dye. We conducted studies with six replications for each droplet size, with the drone operating at a spray altitude of 7.0 feet. Analysis of the swath paper rolls was performed in the lab using the Swath Gobbler, while water-sensitive papers (WSPs) were analyzed using Accustain software. The average Volume Median Diameter (VMD) for each selected droplet size was calculated. Fine to Very Fine (F-VF) droplet size which leads to loss of herbicides/ spray volume to evaporation and off-target movement. Similarly, coraser size selections which provided coarse to ultra coarse droplet sizes. These droplet sizes are effective for drift reduction but may not provide excellent weed control with lower carrier volume spray applications. Interesting results were observed in terms of droplet sepectra. Previous studies with LeadingEdge PV35X drone indicated that nozzles provide consistent droplet size and can be relied upon once standardized. However, DJI T50 can maintain and provide consistent droplet sizes only around 250µmor lower. If we select droplet size of >300µm, DJI T50 fails to deliver droplet size of 300 or greater. This inconsistency is more common at greater carrier volumes (example, 10 gallons per acre or greater). Therefore, for achieving greater efficacy with DJI drones, either we need to keep droplet sizes lower or need to make structural changes to rotary atomizers to allow greater flow with consistent droplet size. For swath analysis, we observed that DJI Agras T50 can provide effective swath of 15 - 18 feet at 7 feet altitude using 250µm anda spray volume of 4 gallons per acre. These studies will be reapated and if results are consistent, altitude, droplet size, swath optimization will be used for spray applications in watermelon field in 2025. Objective 5. We demonstrated and displayed our drones, and communicated results through oral presentations and posters at Eastern Shore Ag Conference, Virginia Tech's students and faculties tours, Ag Fairs, etc. Therefore, total number of stakeholders whogained knowledge and information about our findings until August2024 was 2,575.All events considered for stakeholders' attendence are listed below. These events were used for various purposes, as indicated by titles but spray drones, and sharing project's results were part of each event. Theresults and drone-based events included sharing/ communicating findings on vegetables (watermelon, broccoli, tomatoes) and other drone-based projects (corn/ soybean). 1.Singh, V., Brar, A.*, Milos, V.*, Wamanse, R.*, Esmaeilbeiki, F.*, Weed Science and herbicide field research in soybean, and edamame. SPES/ AREC/ Ag Industry Tour, (Aug 22, 2024), Painter, VA (Attendees: 20) 2. Brar, A.*, Esmaeilbeiki, F.*, Viric, M.*, Wamanse, R.*, Cooley, R.*, Singh, V.*, Eastern Shore Ag Fair, August 5, 2024 (Attendees: 600) 3. Singh, V., Wamanse, R.*, Cooley, R., Displayed herbicide drift injury on vegetable crops (broccoli and tomatoes), & spray drone, at Virginia Ag expo (Aug 1, 2024), Champlain, VA, (Attendees interacted: 85) 4. Singh, V., Organized first Mid-Atlantic Spray Drone Workshop at Painter, VA (Jul 23-24, 2024) for stakeholders & presented (oral) on regulations & practical uses of UAS technology (Attendees: 30) 5. Singh, V., Field Day on weed management and unmanned aerial systems at Painter, VA (Jul 24, 2024) (Attendees: 35) 6. Singh, V., Brar, A.#, Milos, V.#, Wamanse, R.#, Reiter. M., Updates on weed science program and service to Commonwealth of Virginia. Congress woman's staff visit to Eastern Shore AREC, Virginia Tech (Jul 24, 2024) (Attendees: 5) 7. Singh, V., Brar, A.*, Wamanse, R.*, Esmaeilbeiki, F*., Viric, M.*, Provided field tour and showed results of UAS-assisted spray studies to Virginia Tech's Research and Extension Experiential learning (REEL) students at Painter, VA (June 28, 2024; attendees: 20) 8. Singh, V., Provided updates on drone spray technology at Public AG Demo day, Eastern Shore Community College, Melfa, VA, Painter, VA (June 15, 2024; attendees: 100) 9. Singh, V., Brar, A.*, Wamanse, R.*, Esmaeilbeiki, F.*, Viric, M.*, Virginia Tech's new faculties tour (May 16, 2024; attendees: 30) 10. Singh, V., Oral presentation at Eastern Shore Ag Conference and Trade Show, Melfa, VA (Jan 24 - 25, 2024; attendees: 80) 11. Singh, V., Presented on "New spray applications methods and herbicide-resistant weed management", Mid-Atlantic Crop Management School, Ocean City, MD, Nov 14 - 16, 2023 (Attendees: 120) 12. Singh, V., Discussed weed identification and displayed new ag technologies, Eastern Shore Agricultural Fair, Machipongo, VA, Oct 7, 2023 (Attendees: 850) 13. Reiter, M., Singh, V., Higgins, D., Torres, E., Presented on Diseases, Weeds, Soils, and Nutrient Management, Eastern Shore - Northampton County Farm Tour, Sep 20, 2023 (Attendees: 200) 14. Reiter, M., Singh, V., Higgins, D., Torres, E., Presented on Diseases, Weeds, Soils, and Nutrient Management, Eastern Shore - Accomack County Farm Tour, Sep 19, 2023 (Attendees: 400) *Indicates students in my program
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Singh, V., Srivastava, D#., Singh Brar, A#., Esmaeilbeiki, F#. Wamanse, R#., Martin, D., Reynolds, W. 2024. Advances in Precision Weed Management. Oral presentation at the 64th Meeting Weed Sci. Soc. of America, Jan 22-25, 2024, San Antonio, TX. Abstract published In Proc. Weed. Sci. Soc. America 64:398
Wamanse, R.#, Srivastava, D.#, Esmaeilbeiki, F.#, Singh, V., 2024. Crop and Weed Detection using Machine Learning. Poster at Northeastern Weed Sci. Soc. annual meeting, Boston, MA, Jan 711, 2024. Abstract published.
#Students in my program
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