The iMapPESTS sentinel surveillance for agriculture has commenced a trial of its mobile insect surveillance unit in Ayr, Queensland.
The mobile surveillance unit, Sentinel 9, has been deployed next to a crop of melons at the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Research Station and will monitor key horticultural insect pests, including aphids, thrips, and leafminers.
The sentinel generates daily insect samples using an automated carousel that is programmed once a week by an operator.
These samples are collected weekly and analyzed by entomologists to identify and quantify a shortlist of priority targets.
The results are then compared with observations from a local agronomist who is monitoring the melon crops weekly.
This trial is helping demonstrate the usefulness and efficacy of the sentinel surveillance systems to the horticulture industry. Ground truthing and benchmarking data from the trial will assist in turning the project outputs into actionable information for the industry.
Further details can be found on the iMapPESTS website.
For more information:
Shakira Johnson
iMapPESTS
Tel.: + 61 0433 937 564
shakira.johnson@ausveg.com.au