Challenges
Farmers around the world face the following challenges concerned to pests
- Low crop yield ( nearly 20% loss of crop due to pest attack)
- Lack of agricultural labour ( unskilled to analyse pest presence & unavailability for pesticide spraying)
- Lack of prior information on pest attack ( absolutely no clue about the timing of the pest infestation)
- Lack of technologies to avoid use of hazardous pesticides
Solutions to address all the above challenges
Management of Crop Diseases via Drone Assisted Detection of Pheromones and Kairomones in a Farming Land
Nanosensors are developed to selectively detect the Pheromones and Kairomones. They are then embedded onto the Drone which takes a flight to detect the presence of the pests, transmit data wirelessly to analyse, map and target for effective , localized and controlled spraying of pesticides.
Efficient Pest Management by Pheromone loaded Nanogels
Fruit and vegetables often face quarantine restrictions or rejections in export markets because of pest infestation or high pesticide residues. In the domestic market, too, unsafe levels of pesticide residues in food items have become a major concern, inviting injunctions from courts to curb this menace. The solution lies in finding and promoting safer, preferably non-toxic means of pest control. Pheromone loaded Nanogels are the answer to address this issue.
Management of Crop Diseases via Drone Assisted Detection of Pheromones and Kairomones in a Farming Land:
Solutions for
Food Crops ( Wheat, Maize, Rice, Millets & Pulses)
Cash Crops (Sugarcane, Tobacco, Cotton, Jute and Oilseeds)
Pheromone nanosensor technology has been developed by Dr. Parikshit Moitra and Dr. Deepa Bhagat under the guidance of Professor Santanu Bhattacharya (Reference: Scientific Reports, 2016, 6, 37355).
How it works
- Identification of pheromones and kairomones in air during the spread of different diseases in crops.
- Development of nanosensors to selectively detect the identified pheromones and kairomones
- Conduct test using a UAV (Drone) to integrate the nanosensors for flying over the crop to collect the data
- Collect data over wireless technology based monitoring software
- Analyze the data & do mapping of the infestation based on pheromone and kairomone detection level
- Use the UAV (Drone) to approach those infected areas to spray right amount of pesticides/fungicides/bactericides and thus achieving the desired effect of controlling the disease
Efficient Pest Management by Pheromone loaded Nanogels
Solutions for
Food Crops , Plantation Crops & Cash Crops
( Cotton, pigeon pea, chickpea, coffee, rice)
Horticulture Crops ( Fruits & Vegetables)
No need for
Insecticides and pesticides
Biological control methods and
Genetically modified crops.
Pheromone nanogel technology has been developed by a team working under the supervision of Professor Santanu Bhattacharya (Reference: Scientific Reports, 2014, 3, 1294).
How it works
- Pheromone loaded Nanogels are placed in a trap and such traps ( about 8~10 per acre of farmland are to be placed randomly at various places / tied to the plants across the farmland).
- Male pests get attracted to the female sex pheromones and get trapped.
- Such nanogels once placed will typically last for about one complete season and hence investment is very low. Refilling/ replacement cost is also very low and easily affordable by the farmers.
