As cotton defoliant spraying operations get underway across Xinjiang, newly introduced plant protection robots are helping local farms achieve higher efficiency, reduced costs, and smarter agricultural practices.

On September 6, at the 300-mu cotton field owned by Yao Xinlan, a worker in the 30th company of Fangcaohu Farm, part of the Sixth Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, a plant protection robot moved through the field, evenly applying defoliant onto the cotton leaves under staff control.

"The job is done in just over two hours with a single pass, saving 3 to 5 yuan per mu compared to previous years, and the results are even better," Yao said. The efficient performance of these robots is gaining widespread recognition among local growers, she added.

Previously, Fangcaohu Farm relied on tractor-drawn sprayers, which delivered ample chemicals but suffered from uneven application and significant waste. Large machinery also caused damage by crushing and dragging cotton plants. While drones later reduced plant injury, their limited tank capacity meant two to three spraying passes were often required to achieve satisfactory defoliation results.

Since September, the farm has introduced 40 plant protection robots to cover its 618,000 mu of cotton fields. Unlike conventional single-function equipment, this year's robots feature a modular design, allowing components to be swapped according to seasonal needs.

These versatile machines can handle the entire cotton growth cycle, from sowing to harvesting, performing tasks such as weeding, pest control, fertilizing, watering, topping, and defoliant spraying — driving a shift toward unmanned and intelligent field management.

Chen Ying, deputy head of Fangcaohu Farm, stated that the farm is leveraging its agricultural association to attract advanced machinery, agronomic techniques, and agribusiness companies, accelerating the transition from traditional farming to digital and smart agriculture. This year, the farm will deploy multiple spraying methods for cotton defoliation, with operations expected to be fully completed by around September 10.