Horticulture: Smart trap for improved early detection of vine weevil to enable successful application of integrated pest management

藤蔓象鼻虫是英国软果和观赏作物的重要经济害虫，每年造成数百万英镑的损失。控制葡萄象鼻虫利用了害虫综合管理（IPM）的许多要素，但由于这一物种，种植者继续遭受经济损失。这些损失主要是由于缺乏有效的（由监测工具的灵敏度和可靠性决定的）监测工具，导致采取无效或不适当的控制措施。该项目将开发一种基于半化学的“智能”监测工具，使种植者能够做出明智的病虫害管理决策，并充分发挥当前IPM兼容技术的潜力。这是至关重要的，因为种植者已经从使用合成化学杀虫剂转向使用作物卫生和生物控制，但是这些方法需要监测以确定效果以及正确的施用时间。这个项目的新颖之处在于，它是第一个将象鼻虫视觉和化学生态学的改进知识与原型“智能”监测工具结合在一起的项目。有了这些工具，就有可能设计和测试一种新的商业象鼻虫监测工具。提高监测工具的灵敏度和可靠性将是开发有效诱饵的关键。该系统能够自动可靠地检测作物中是否存在象鼻虫，这意味着种植者可以降低劳动力成本，同时接收到作物虫害状况的实时信息。我们提出的工作计划将通过完成四个研究目标来实现，1。研制有效的藤蔓象鼻虫诱捕剂；2. 在半田间条件下，添加和不添加象鼻虫引诱剂的测试监测工具；3. 在商业种植条件下（软果和/或观赏植物）测试监测工具设计和藤象鼻虫诱饵的最佳组合；4. 通过农艺师带领的实地考察交流项目成果。

Vine weevil is an economically important pest of UK soft-fruit and ornamental crops that causes millions of pounds worth of damage every year. Controlling vine weevil utilises many elements of integrated pest management (IPM) but growers continue to experience economic losses due to this species. These losses can be largely attributed to a lack of an effective (determined by the sensitivity and reliability of the monitoring tool) monitoring tools leading to ineffective or inappropriate control applications being undertaken. This project will develop a semiochemical-based 'smart' monitoring tool to enable growers to make informed pest management decisions and unlock the full potential of current IPM compatible technologies. This is critical as growers have already switched from using synthetic chemical insecticides and instead rely on the use of crop hygiene and biological controls, but these approaches require monitoring to determine efficacy as well as to correctly time applications. The novelty of this project is that it is the first to bring together improved knowledge of vine weevil visual and chemical ecology with a prototype 'smart' monitoring tool. With these tools it will be possible to design and test a novel commercial vine weevil monitoring tool. Key to improving the sensitivity and reliability of the monitoring tool will be the development of an effective lure. The ability to automatically and reliably detect the presence of vine weevils within crops means that growers can reduce labour costs whilst at the same time receiving real-time information on the pest status of a crop.Our proposed work plan will be realised through the completion of four research objectives, 1. Develop an effective vine weevil lure; 2. Test monitoring tools with and without the addition of the vine weevil lure under semi-field conditions; 3. Test the best combination of monitoring tool design and vine weevil lure under commercial cropping conditions (soft-fruit and/or ornamentals); 4. Communicate results from the project through agronomist-led site visits.