2019
Building a Smarter Pheromone Trap Network: Development of a Real-Time, Infrared Sensor for Corn Earworm Pheromone Traps
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
Biotic stressCrop protectionField management Pest
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
Anders Huseth, North Carolina State University
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
19-112
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
Institution Funded:
Brief Project Summary:

Corn earworm has been the target of black light and pheromone trapping networks across North Carolina for decades. This network generates information shared with soybean growers. Although the information provides an indication of adult corn earworm activity, the time lag between moth counting and online data availability limits growers’ ability to time scouting, determine economic thresholds and apply insecticides. Automation of earworm-specific trapping networks addresses this need with seamless data integration into web and phone app interfaces. This project seeks to develop an infrared sensor specifically designed to retrofit Hartstack pheromone traps into a real-time automated sensor targeting corn earworm and measure daily corn earworm activity.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, agronomists, extension agents

Information And Results
Project Deliverables

Final Project Results

Data-driven solutions to predict pest population outbreaks are an increasingly important component of contemporary Integrated Pest Management (IPM). A prime opportunity to implement an automated solution exists with the cotton boll worm in North Carolina. Cotton boll worm has been the target of black light and pheromone trapping networks across the eastern US for decades. Information generated by these networks has been communicated to growers through traditional extension meetings and digital resources (e.g., blogs, twitter, websites). Although the information indicates corn earworm activity, the lag time between observation and data availability prohibits accurate deployment of scouting and remedial measures. Through innovative sensor design targeting corn earworm, this project takes a first step toward addressing the communication disconnect between growers and risk.

We retrofitted insect pheromone traps to log moth catches and environmental conditions in real-time. Pheromone traps are made of two metal mesh units: a cone and a cylinder trap: the moths travel up the cone until they pass through the narrow tip, at which point they become caught in the cylindrical trap. Our prototype uses an InfraRed (IR)sensor system at the cone tip to count moths as they enter the trap. Through multiple iterations of lab and semi-field testing, we developed our first automated prototype and deployed it at the Central Crops Research Station in Clayton, NC. The trap automatically counted moths and was accurate within 2.5 moths of the true count. After improvements, 25 automated insect traps were built in the winter of 2019-2020. Traps will be deployed throughout eastern North Carolina this summer to monitor corn earworm populations in space and time. Access to real-time corn earworm data will improve the management of this pest with the goal of reducing pesticide use in multiple crops.

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.