
New
Surveillance Device Uncovers InsectsBy Jim Core May 11, 2001Monitoring insect infestations in crops
under demanding field conditions will become easier than ever because
Agricultural Research Service scientists
and cooperators are developing an easy-to-use, hand-held device as the newest
weapon in the war against insect pests. Richard Mankin, a research entomologist with the ARS
Center for Medical, Agricultural and
Veterinary Entomology (CMAVE), in Gainesville, Fla., has established a
cooperative research and development agreement with
Acoustic Emission Consulting Inc.
(AEC) of Fair Oaks, Calif., to transfer recent insect-detecting advancements to
an existing product. The new device will be designed to help growers and
warehouse managers survey and target insects, thus reducing the amounts and
extent of pesticide use. Mankins latest research involves acoustic detection of insects in crop
plants. ARS researchers at CMAVE recently built low-frequency acoustic systems
that successfully detect insects hidden from view in stalks or subterranean
soil. These surveillance devices can distinguish insect activity from
background noises such as wind or vehicle traffic. The researchers created computer programs that made profiles of different
sounds they encounter when searching for infestations. Often, they can
determine what type of insect is present in fields by the unique sounds it
produces when moving or feeding. With slight modifications to the equipment,
they can hear inside packages of post- harvest products, such as cereal boxes
and bags of dog food. However, CMAVEs researchers had technical problems in converting
microphones, sensors, clamps and computer software into practical applications.
AEC, designers of ultrasonic systems for industrial leak detection, provides
the expertise needed in this area. Now, the scientists say, an individual
wont have to be an acoustic expert to use the device; one only has to
push some buttons and look at a read-out. ARS is the chief scientific research agency in the
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Scientific contact: Richard W. Mankin, ARS Center for Medical,
Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, Fla., phone (352)
374-5774, fax (352) 374-5781, [email protected].
Story contacts Richard W Mankin U.S. Department of Agriculture | |