## 1 Introduction  
Tricyclazole, with its IUPAC name 5-methyl-1,2,4-triazoleol[3,4-b]benzothazole (Figure 1), is a famous fungicidal agent effective against rice blast caused by _Magnuporthe oryzae_ (_Pivricularia oryzae_). It was developed over 35 years ago as a melanin biosynthesis inhibitor, and specifically hinders the melanin production in fungus's appressoria, essential for the host penetration [1]. By inhibiting the conversion of 1,3,6,8-tetrahydrooxynaphthalene to scytalone and 1,3,8-trithydroxynaphthalene to vermelone, tricyclazole weakens the mechanical strength of the appressoria, thus impairing the fungus's ability to infect the host [2, 3]. This specific interference with the pathogen's developmental cycle presents a strategic means of mitigating rice blast outbreaks. Figure 1: Structural formulas and IUPAC names of the active ingredient tricyclazole. Rice is one of the most important staple foods worldwide, feeding more than half of the global population, particularly in Asia [4]. As a primary source of sustenance, ensuring the safety and quality of rice is paramount for food security. The high consumption rates underscore the need for rigorous monitoring of any potential contaminants that could impact public health. The use of pesticides in agriculture is essential for controlling pests and diseases, yet their residues can pose significant risks to human health and the environment [5; 6]. The inherent characteristics of paddy field soil, particularly its waterlogged condition, make conventional methods of pesticide application challenging and cumbersome. In response to these limitations, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), specifically multi-copters (drones), have been introduced as a viable alternative for pesticide dispersal in rice cultivation [7; 8]. One of the primary advantages of arial spraying is its capability to cover large areas swiftly, being able to treat up to one hectare in less than 10 min. This rapid application significantly reduces labor costs and exposure risks to workers who would otherwise be applying pesticides manually. One concern with arial spraying technology is the potential for off-target drift, where pesticides may spread from the intended area to surrounding environments [9]. This can lead to unintended exposure of wildlife and non-target plant species to chemicals, raising environmental and ecological concerns. To mitigate the risks associated with pesticide drift, the use of adjuvants such as stickers has been recommended. Stickers increase the adherence of pesticide droplets to the plant surfaces and reduce the dynamic surface tension, thus reducing the amount of chemical that drifts away from the target site [7; 10]. While this improves the efficacy of the pesticide application, it also increases the concentration of chemicals on the crop [11], which necessitates rigorous monitoring to ensure that residue levels remain within safe limits for human consumption. To achieve accurate monitoring of pesticide residues such as tricyclazole, there is a crucial need for developing analysis methods specifically tailored to this fungicide. The literature reveals that while methods for detecting tricyclazole in rice samples are commonly incorporated into multiresidue analyses, dedicated methodologies focused solely on tricyclazole are notably absent [12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17; 18]. This lack of specificity can compromise the ruggedness of single-target residue determination. Multiresidue techniques often introduce significant challenges in terms of matrix effects for some target analytes. In liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), tricyclazole frequently exhibits strong signal suppression [14; 18], whereas in gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS), it can show pronounced signal enhancement by sample matrices [16]. These matrix effects, which vary even among samples of the same crop variety, can cause the variability and potential inaccuracies in quantifying residues [19].