This project exploresdhow digital technologies and advanced application techniques can improve the precision of pesticide use in agriculture. By modeling pesticide drift and runoff at high spatial resolutions, the research supports improved environmental risk assessments under real-world conditions. The project uses an innovative spray drift model to simulate the movement of pesticides through air and water across agricultural landscapes. Conducted as part of a broader BASF research initiative, it supports the development of regulatory strategies that account for precision application methods and diverse landscape features.

Key publications:

• Fuchs, M. D., Gebler, S., & Lorke, A. (2025). The droplet and atmospheric dispersion drift (DAD-drift) model – A modular approach for estimating spray drift at the landscape scale. Environmental Research, 271, 121104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.121104 
• Fuchs, M. D., Gebler, S., & Lorke, A. (2025). Landscape-level assessment of spray drift – A virtual experiment using the Droplet and Atmospheric Dispersion drift (DAD-drift) model. Environmental Modelling & Software, 189, 106455. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2025.106455 
• Fuchs, M. D., Gebler, S., & Lorke, A. (2026). Evaluating landscape-level pesticide exposure from spray drift: A modeling study in an agriculture-dominated watershed using SWAT+ and DAD-Drift. Environmental Pollution, 397, 128031. doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2026.128031