Development of microcomputer-interfaced devices for field and laboratory monitoring of insect flight behavior
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Since 1905, the Department of Agricultural Engineering, now the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (ABE), has been a leader in providing engineering solutions to agricultural problems in the United States and the world. The department’s original mission was to mechanize agriculture. That mission has evolved to encompass a global view of the entire food production system–the wise management of natural resources in the production, processing, storage, handling, and use of food fiber and other biological products.
History
In 1905 Agricultural Engineering was recognized as a subdivision of the Department of Agronomy, and in 1907 it was recognized as a unique department. It was renamed the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering in 1990. The department merged with the Department of Industrial Education and Technology in 2004.
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1905–present
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- Department of Agricultural Engineering (1907–1990)
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- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (parent college)
- College of Engineering (parent college)
- Department of Industrial Education and Technology, (merged, 2004)
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Abstract
Two insect traps (pheromone-baited cylindrical electric grid trap and Texas pheromone cone trap) and a flight mill designed for large insects were interfaced with the Rockwell AIM65 microcomputer. Three sensor devices were tested on the grid trap consisting of a voltage change and two sound-activated devices. An infrared sensor device was used for both the cone trap and flight mill;The sensors used on the grid trap counted well in the laboratory with counting errors of 8.44% for European corn borer (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner) and 26.93% for Black cutworm (BCW), Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel). But, only the voltage change device proved usable in the field as the two sound-activated devices also detected environmental noises that resulted in unrealistically higher counts. Laboratory tests of the infrared sensor device on the cone trap gave counting errors of 43.84% and 61.44% for ECB and BCW, respectively;Field tests of the voltage change device on the grid trap resulted in counting errors of 96.0% for ECB and 2.8% for BCW. Correspondingly, field tests of the infrared sensor device on the cone trap gave counting errors of 94.94% for ECB and 42.38% for BCW. The counting accuracy of the sensors when used for ECB was adversely affected by the entry of non-target insects into the traps that were present in the field at the time of the tests. The sensors could not distinguish between target and non-target insects;Two sizes of flight mills (1-m and 2-m circumference) and two types of tethers (rigid and semi-rigid) were designed and tested. Results of tests indicated that the 2-m circumference flight mill significantly improved the flight performance of laboratory-reared male BCW from 9.22 km at 2.13 km/h to 21.83 km at 3.46 km/h. The improvement in performance was attributed to the longer radius of curvature and lower angular velocity. No significant difference in performance was detected between the two types of tethers used. However, the semi-rigid tether was preferred for its flexibility and light weight. The semi-rigid tether allowed the insect to support its own weight and adjust to its normal flying attitude during flight.