Novel sensors for monitoring aphid infestation: fusion of FBAR sensor technology and insect olfaction to reduce the environmental impact of UK farming

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Aphids are a major problem in UK and global food production, reducing yields by directly feeding on plants phloem-sap but also through transmitting a variety of diseases. In 2018-19, over 106t of pesticide was applied to an area of 1,815,090 hectares to control aphids, often applied pre-emptively to protect crops. By combining recent advances in volatile compound detection and insect olfaction bioscience, we hope to develop a sensor that can proactively monitor fields for aphid infestation, allowing for a more targeted application of pesticide, resulting in a significant decrease in application to UK farms.