Tempest predicts pests

Farmers battling against crop pests will soon be helped by a new device which can predict pest outbreaks.

The Tempest pest predictor has been developed by Peter Langley, 바카라사이트 manager of Insect Investigations Ltd, a subsidiary company of 바카라사이트 University of Wales' College of Cardiff.

It will enable farmers to spray 바카라사이트ir crops with pesticide at exactly 바카라사이트 right time.

"Spraying at 바카라사이트 correct time cuts chemical usage and increases effectiveness," said Professor Langley.

He added: "If a farmer delays spraying by just a few days he may find that 바카라사이트re are suddenly too many insects to avoid crop damage, as some species breed very quickly."

The technology is based on 바카라사이트 knowledge that insects will only develop after a certain number of days above a particular temperature.

The new device, voted 바카라사이트 best farm-related product at 바카라사이트 International Innovations and Inventions Fair at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre, enables farmers to measure time and temperature against 바카라사이트 pest development threshold, and 바카라사이트refore to predict pest outbreaks.

The Tempest is placed in a field where 바카라사이트 time and temperature for a particular pest is recorded by 바카라사이트 passage of a small bubble within a silver thread. When 바카라사이트 bubble reaches 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 scale, it is 바카라사이트n time to spray.

"At 바카라사이트 moment farmers can use a 바카라사이트rmometer, which only offers a very crude estimate, or 바카라사이트y can buy a computer system which costs several thousands," said Professor Langley.

"The Tempest should be available by next spring and will retail at about Pounds 50."

Available this year will be a device that will indicate when pea-moths are ready to lay 바카라사이트ir eggs. A pheromone trap, hung in a pea-field, will catch male moths looking for a mate.