Tuesday 14 August marked the start of the Autonomous Greenhouses Challenge at the facilities of Wageningen University x- Research (WUR) with five international teams trying to grow cucumbers remotely with the use of artificial intelligence. The goal is to convert knowledge about cultivation into algorithms that can enable computers to regulate cultivation automatically in the future, even in places where such knowledge is lacking. The question is: can computers do as well as farmers? explains head of the Horticulture Technology research team Silke Hemming. The teams collect all data remotely and can continuously adjust their software algorithms. The software itself adjusts the output settings like temperature where necessary. The goal is that the self-teaching software gradually takes over human decision-making, adds Hemming. The challenge was organised by Wageningen University &-x Research Greenhouse Horticulture and the internet company Tencent.
Author(s): Kanno, K; Kawabata, T; Ishikawa, Y; Katayama, J; Hirao, M; Tabaru, Y; Watanabe, M; Kumon, K; Tsuji, H; Tanaka, K; Saito, K; Yoshimura, T; Forschler, B; Lewis, V; Lee, CY
Human rabies is one of the major public-health problems in China. The number of human rabies cases has increased dramatically in the last 15 years, partially due to the poor understanding of the transmission dynamics of rabies and the lack of effective control measures of the disease. In this article, in order to explore effective control and prevention measures we propose a deterministic model to study the transmission dynamics of rabies in China. The model consists of susceptible, exposed, infectious, and recovered subpopulations of both dogs and humans and describes the spread of rabies among dogs and from infectious dogs to humans. The model simulations agree with the human rabies data reported by the Chinese Ministry of Health. We estimate that the basic reproduction number for the rabies transmission in China and predict that the number of the human rabies is decreasing but may reach another peak around 2030. We also perform some sensitivity analysis of in terms of the model parameters and compare the effects of culling and immunization of dogs. Our study demonstrates that (i) reducing dog birth rate and increasing dog immunization coverage rate are the most effective methods for controlling rabies in China; and (ii) large scale culling of susceptible dogs can be replaced by immunization of them.
BACKGROUND:No effective tool currently exists for trapping ovipositing malaria vectors. This creates a gap in our ability to investigate the behavior and ecology of gravid Anopheles.FINDINGS:Here we describe a simple trap that collects ovipositing Anopheline and Culicine mosquitoes. It consists of an acetate sheet coated in glue that floats on the water surface. Ten breeding sites were selected in rural Tanzania and 10 sticky traps set in each. These caught a total of 74 gravid Anopheles (54 An. arabiensis, 1 An. gambiae s.s. and 16 unamplified) and 1333 gravid Culicines, in just two trap nights. This simple sampling tool provides an opportunity to further our understanding of the behavior and ecology of gravid female Anophelines. It strongly implies that at least two of the major vectors of malaria in Africa land on the water surface during the oviposition process, and demonstrates that Anophelines and Culicines often share the same breeding sites.CONCLUSION:This simple and efficient trap has clear potential for the study of oviposition site choice and productivity, gravid dispersal, and vector control techniques which use oviposition behavior as a means of disseminating larvicides.
BACKGROUND:The emergence and massive spread of bluetongue in Western Europe during 2006-2008 had disastrous consequences for sheep and cattle production and confirmed the ability of Palaearctic Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) to transmit the virus. Some aspects of Culicoides ecology, especially host-seeking and feeding behaviors, remain insufficiently described due to the difficulty of collecting them directly on a bait animal, the most reliable method to evaluate biting rates.Our aim was to compare typical animal-baited traps (drop trap and direct aspiration) to both a new sticky cover trap and a UV-light/suction trap (the most commonly used method to collect Culicoides).METHODS/RESULTS:Collections were made from 1.45 hours before sunset to 1.45 hours after sunset in June/July 2009 at an experimental sheep farm (INRA, Nouzilly, Western France), with 3 replicates of a 4 sites×4 traps randomized Latin square using one sheep per site. Collected Culicoides individuals were sorted morphologically to species, sex and physiological stages for females. Sibling species were identified using a molecular assay. A total of 534 Culicoides belonging to 17 species was collected. Abundance was maximal in the drop trap (232 females and 4 males from 10 species) whereas the diversity was the highest in the UV-light/suction trap (136 females and 5 males from 15 species). Significant between-trap differences abundance and parity rates were observed.CONCLUSIONS:Only the direct aspiration collected exclusively host-seeking females, despite a concern that human manipulation may influence estimation of the biting rate. The sticky cover trap assessed accurately the biting rate of abundant species even if it might act as an interception trap. The drop trap collected the highest abundance of Culicoides and may have caught individuals not attracted by sheep but by its structure. Finally, abundances obtained using the UV-light/suction trap did not estimate accurately Culicoides biting rate.
When considering the current state of the biorefinery industry, it is readily apparent that industrial cellulose and hemicellulose digestion processes are relatively advanced, whereas enzymatic pre-treatment strategies for biomass delignification and cellulose solubilization are not well developed. The need for efficient biomass pre-treatment strategies presents a significant opportunity for researchers studying lignocellulose digestion in termites and other insects. With an emphasis on industrial biomass pre-treatment, this review provides an overview of: (i) industrial biorefining operations (feedstocks, processing, and economics); (ii) recent findings from termite research that have revealed candidate enzymes; and (iii) research needs and opportunities for consideration by entomologists working in this area. With respect to research findings, recently identified candidate lignases (laccases, catalases, peroxidases, esterases), other potentially important detoxification enzymes (cytochrome P450, superoxide dismutase), and phenolic acid esterases (carboxylesterases) that may assist in hemicellulose solubilization are overviewed. Regarding research needs and opportunities, several approaches for identification of candidate pre-treatment enzymes from upstream, symbiont-free gut regions are also described.
The aim of this article is to give preliminary report on efficacy of smoke-generator Vulcan SG (former Ultimate super SG), containing pirimiphos-methyl and cypermethrin, against German cockroaches. The small scale experiments simulated semi-field conditions: cockroaches were exposed to smoke from pyrotechnic generators in plastic cubicles incorporated in experimental outdoor room-units. The airborne concentration of active ingredients - estimated by gas chromatography method ― decreased significantly within 6-12 hours after preparation release. We found that the efficacy of the smoke-aerosol reached 100% cockroach mortality during the first 3 hours of exposure. During the consequent 6-12hours of exposure the cockroach tremor (knock-down) was high while mortality was low, when estimated 24 hour after exposure interruption.
Objectives: Concern has been expressed about the lack of adequate regulation of public health pesticides in many countries so a study was carried out to determine the extent of the problem in selected countries with different levels of economic development. Methods: Situation analysis and needs assessment in ten countries following WHO guidelines. Results: Generally there was a lack of trained staff to be able to register, control the purchase, storage, use and transportation of pesticides, disposal of pesticide waste and enforce the regulations. There is a need for training of more personnel and specific requirements are outlined. A policy for integrated vector management for vector-borne disease control was recognised, but had not been developed in many countries. Conclusions: Viable systems of public health pesticide management must be recognised and appropriate policies, legislation and systems developed, but to achieve this adequate finance must be allocated and the capability of staff strengthened.
Raoiella indica Hirst, an invasive species was found on coconut palms (Cocos nucifera L.), indigenous Heliconias (Heliconia spp), ginger lilies (Zingiberaceae) and banana (Musa spp) at Icacos, Guayaguayare, Mayaro and Manzanilla in Trinidad in 2007. This pest is causing major economic impact in the Caribbean and the present study was undertaken to obtain a management programme for this pest in young plantations, ornamentals and nursery palms. Ten pesticides were evaluated against R. indica between concentrations ranging from 10% to 0.001% active ingredient (a.i.). Mortality was determined at two hour intervals for 24 hours. The LC 50 and LT 50 values were calculated. Abamectin had the both the lowest LC 50 (0.0001% a.i.) and LT 50 (0.09h) while spirotetramat had the highest LC 50 (0.72% a.i.) at a LT 50 of 44.66h.
An efficient pheromone trap in tune with the behaviour of the rice yellow stem borer was developed. The trap used was a Wota T water trap that is available commercially for other pests of field crops. The efficiency of the trap was found to be 93 percent more compared to commercially available sleeve traps. There were an average of 20.55 males trapped in the water trap while only 1.35 males were trapped in the sleeve trap. The trap works well when the lure contains 5mg pheromone instead of the 1 mg pheromone that is normally loaded in commercial lures.
A novel semi-liquid ant bait matrix containing imidacloprid between 0.001 and 0.1% destroyed all laboratory colonies of Pharaoh's ant in a dose related time span. Best performance was observed with concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 0.1% imidacloprid. Two concentrations (0.01 and 0.05%) were field tested in a town in Czech Republic. All flats treated with the higher concentration of 0.05% were free of ants within two weeks after treatment. The lower rate of 0.01% also eliminated all ant infestations but needed a prolonged period of time of 3 month and some re-treatment bait application. A further trial treating 147 apartments with a 0.03% imidacloprid bait resulted in complete eradication of ant infestations. In this trial, bait was applied by bait gun in distinct bait droplets at a rate of 80 and 250 mg of bait per m 2 treated area. At the first monitoring time point 21 days after application; all treated flats were free of ants. A small number of ants were again seen 40 days after treatment but consequently disappeared again without the need of re-treatment.
How can the harmful Duponchelia insect best be trapped for optimum detection? A water trap was found to be most effective in a field test by Plant Research International. Another advantage is the low maintenance required by this trap. The composition of the Duponchelia sex pheromone was identified just over a year ago and now growers are using pheromone traps on a large scale for a timely detection of this difficult pest insect. The caterpillars of this moth cause damage in all sorts of crops grown under glass, such as the floricultural crops kalanchoe, begonia, cyclamen, gerbera and rose
