BugIoT: An IoT system for automated, long-life IPM

Our food supply is under unprecedented pressure. The FAO (2021) estimates that 20-40% of our crops are lost to pests, at a global industry cost of $70bn each year (WeForum 2021).

Therefore integrated pest management (IPM) strategies are increasingly adopted to control outbreaks and minimise economic impact and environmental damage. IPM approaches include use of biological control agents/mating disruption that rely upon precision monitoring to rapidly identify pest outbreaks in order to take timely action, reducing pesticide use by up to 30% and increasing yield by 40% . However, monitoring largely relies on traps with manual checks and counts and therefore monitoring doesn't always occur with the frequency needed to optimise control methods.

This project will develop a novel system to help farmers manage pests through precision monitoring without additional labour commitment.

Specifically, the project will develop a detection system that distinguishes and counts insect species, implemented as part of a trap or monitoring device adaptable to a range of crops/pests. Traps and monitoring devices will contain innovative chemical lure formulations that improve pest catch.

The resultant offering will thereby enhance agricultural productivity, reducing waste and pesticide usage, which reduces the overall carbon footprint of the industry. The innovation supports a transformative change in fruit/vegetable production by enabling farmers to get greater benefit from sustainable pest management approaches.