PEST MANAGEMENT
One thing that Google Maps can ’ t provide — unless you are incredibly lucky — is the element of time . Most pest outbreaks are triggered by the environment and can ’ t be scheduled ahead of time , which makes the timing of image capture so critical . Drones have dramatically changed the way we think about taking a quick , bird ’ s- eye-view look at our facilities . There are many cheap options available that will allow for a quick peak almost anytime it seems appropriate that just aren ’ t possible when relying on another aerial mapping service . However , this is just one single picture and you may miss some important details that aren ’ t possible to capture with sufficient image quality . Adding waypoint navigation to slightly upgraded drones allows us to set an area of interest and collect hundreds of images automatically . Those hundreds of images can be stitched together like a puzzle to create one large , cohesive image . This is where things really start to get fun , once we get past the stigma of not being a formally trained computer scientist .
Once the skills of hand-drawn pest maps are mastered , it is time to begin discussing automated digital image analysis , unsupervised image classification , machine learning and other forms of artificial intelligence on georeferenced images . All it takes is some advanced computing algorithms and writing computer code … nah , I can ’ t do that either ! But I can speak the language , which wasn ’ t always the case . Our lab ( along with others around the country ) has spent considerable time over the last few years improving the automated process of developing maps for precision turfgrass management . Several equipment manufacturers have developed GPS sprayer capabilities with individual nozzle control that have great potential for chemical savings while making targeted pesticide applications . In a note of success , our lab was able to suppress spring dead spot of bermudagrass using disease incidence maps for targeted fungicide applications . The results : comparable control to blanket applications and a fungicide savings of 51 to 65 percent . Not bad for a maiden voyage .
We are collaborating with a group of scientists throughout the country to develop additional uses and to further fine-tune successful options for precision turfgrass management . The technology is there , but the current process is far from perfect at this time . There are overestimations and underestimations of where a computer “ thinks ” there are pests . The integration from one system to another isn ’ t flawless yet . A few choice words have been said in the heat of battle with the equipment , but we typically still come out as friends at the end of the day . And in keeping with the bottom dollar , the waypoint navigation , stitching and GIS software are all open-access and / or free . Our goal is to provide opensource computer codes that can become plug-and-play as mapping and GPS sprayer technologies continue to evolve . Costs can be quite low and the recipes will be written . Budgets are tight these days , so isn ’ t this the type of strategy worth investigating a little more on your end ?
Think about this . The time you have spent reading this article could
have been spent building your first pest incidence map and set you on a path toward effective precision turfgrass management . What are you waiting for ? Get to it ! SFM
David McCall , Ph . D ., is an assistant professor and extension turfgrass pathologist at Virginia Tech , in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences . His current research focuses on early stress detection using drones and field radiometry , site-specific management using GPS-guided sprayers , and other novel strategies to reduce pesticide inputs . Extension responsibilities include developing and sharing practical solutions to suppress diseases of turfgrasses grown for sod , commercial and residential lawns , and recreational facilities , such as golf courses and athletic fields .
Funding for this research has been provided by the Virginia Agricultural Council , Virginia Turfgrass Foundation , Golf Course Superintendents Association of America ( including Virginia Chapter ), PBI Gordon , The Toro Company , and Syngenta Professional Products . Additional collaborators include TurfScout LLC , The Drone Co . RVA , and the Virginia Tech Unmanned Systems Laboratory .
20 SportsField Management | March 2021 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com