CSIRO Innovation: Fund More funding to tackle fruit flies in Australia

A start-up created by three alumni from CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) received a AU$1.25 million funding boost from the CSIRO Innovation Fund.

The start-up is called RapidAim and will use the cash to conduct a trial of its “smart trap” fruit fly monitoring system that is hoped will replace manual trap checking. Australian Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud said the trial would be conducted across New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania.

“The smart traps use lures to attract fruit flies. Females are lured in by food and males by chemicals they think will make them more attractive to female flies,” Littleproud said. “Sensors will be able to detect when a fruit fly is in the trap by their characteristic movements and send an alert to a grower’s mobile phone.”

The trial of RapidAIM, which is a real-time monitoring system using technology to detect the presence and location of fruit flies, will potentially cut down the need for time-consuming manual monitoring. RapidAim CEO dr Schellhorn said the automated traps will not only save time, but could help reduce the use of pesticides through more targeted spraying.

Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said RapidAIM features new technology developed by CSIRO researchers and is backed by the Coalition Government’s National Innovation and Science Agenda (NISA).

“Fruit flies cost Australia’s horticulture sector around $300 million a year and can have a major impact on our fruit and vegetable growers,” Minister Andrews said.

Source: zdnet.com via www.freshplaza.com 

Publication date : 10/18/2018