Precision application of pesticides: Challenges, opportunities, and impacts on crop production sustainability

Authors: Zhu, Heping; BARLOW, ADAM - John Deere & Company; HOVINGA, SARAH - Bayer Crop Science; MCCONNELL, LAURA - Bayer Crop Science; RAMALINGAM, RAM - Syngenta Crop Protection; RAMANARAYANAN, THARACAD - Syngenta Crop Protection; RANVILLE, MICHELLE - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA); TANG, ZHENXU - Bayer Crop Science; THOMSON, STEVEN - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA); CARLEY, DANESHA - North Carolina State University; WHITE, MARK - Syngenta Crop Protection; WOMAC, ALVIN - University Of Tennessee; YOUNG, BRYAN - Purdue University

Submitted to: ACS Agricultural Science and Technology
Publication Type: Literature Review
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/6/2026
Publication Date: 5/25/2026
Citation: Zhu, H., Barlow, A., Hovinga, S., Mcconnell, L., Ramalingam, R., Ramanarayanan, T., Ranville, M., Tang, Z., Thomson, S.J., Carley, D.S., White, M., Womac, A., Young, B. 2026. Precision application of pesticides: Challenges, opportunities, and impacts on crop production sustainability. ACS Agricultural Science and Technology. 6:783-796. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsagscitech.5c01163.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsagscitech.5c01163

Interpretive Summary: Precision pesticide application technology aims to reduce unnecessary pesticide usage and improve target accuracy. Recent advancements of the technology have made it possible for the commercialization of sense and act spray systems for boom and air-blast sprayers to target pests or crop canopy. These systems offer benefits to growers with chemical input savings and to the environment with reduced chemical usage. However, there is a need for continued collaboration among the plant protection industry, academia, equipment and technology manufacturers, farmers and regulatory authorities to fill existing knowledge gaps and to encourage adoption of the technology. This paper reviewed the current state of the science and emerging trends in precision application technologies, identified research gaps, challenges, and existing data sets on efficacy and risk mitigation, and then addressed importance of the cooperation and collaboration to facilitate the collection of data and information. This knowledge will improve understanding of how different rates of active ingredients are required for biological control effectiveness, pest resistance, and pesticide residue for individual crops and blended commodities as well as exposure reductions for non-target species. This knowledge can also be used to establish a path towards incorporating benefits of the precision application technology into pesticide risk assessment and risk mitigation, and support development of strategies to increase producer engagement and adoption of the technology to maximize economic benefits and sustainability.

Technical Abstract: Targeted precision application (PA) of pesticides has significant benefits for growers and to the environment by potentially reducing pesticide inputs by up to 90% without decreasing efficacy. Adoption of commercial sense-and-act PA systems is gaining at a rapid pace in North America and other countries. However, incorporating the benefits of PA into risk assessment and risk mitigation of pesticides encounters great challenges. This paper summarizes collective perspectives from around fifty multidisciplined participants in a workshop to address these challenges and future opportunities of PA. It also addresses uncertainties and prospects such as pesticide resistance management, adoption by small growers, label language for targeted PA, and standards for testing PA equipment. The workshop participants identified necessary research, models, tools, and datasets for developing a framework to consider PA in pesticide regulation. Because of the complexity, collaboration among various stakeholders is needed to continue to realize benefits within the regulatory process. This collaboration is also a key to improved understanding of current commercially available precision spray systems used to apply herbicides in row crops, and pesticides and foliar products in orchards, vineyards and nursery crops. Moreover, it is essential to continue building collaborative momentum resulting in innovations in targeted PA technologies, thereby bringing the value of PA to all stakeholders to enhance the environmental sustainability and benefits for consumers and the society.