Integrated Orchard Safeguard

Overview

In our project, we tried to design a killing switch circuit to make genetically engineered fungus feasible. Despite decreasing the risk and concerns from inside, in prototype, we try to achieve the same goal from the outside. Current method in applying entomogenous fungus are dissolved fungus powder into solution and practice large scale spraying. However, we are dealing with genetically-engineered fungus, the better we implement them, the better to the eco-system, the environment and us.

In practice, the bait will appeal to the male oriental fruit fly, but it is the female one that is high reproductive and destructive. In our project, we come up with the idea of infect the female oriental fruit fly while mating, and conduct related experiment on mating infection rate. IR counter, another feature of our prototype, record and provide in-time information of the orchard, this can pest group size, and other climatological information include temperature, the humidity…etc. With a smartphone app, we are able to inform the grower.

With a bait trap, an IR counter and a smartphone app, we are bringing the integrated orchard safeguard to iGEM.

Bait Trap

After the bait trap receives the population size of oriental fruit fly from IR counter, it will then automatically regulate the frequency of spraying the fungal solution and the length of the door opening time.

Design

1. The First Layer – Microcontroller, Power

晶片設計圖

2. The Second Layer – Motor

We use ULN2003 motor to control the string and let the door go up or down.

3. Drawer – Entrance, Atomization Device

Flying from bottom to up is one the behavior of oriental fruit fly. Thus, we set the entrance at the bottom of the trap make the oriental fruit fly not able to run out. The grower can pull out the drawer to supplement the methyl eugenol(a pheromone precursor) to maintain the attraction for oriental fruit fly. The atomization device in the drawer sprays fungal solution to infect the oriental fruit fly.

Features

1. Specificity - Methyl Eugenol

Methyl Eugenol is the pheromone precursor of oriental fruit fly. It will only appeal to male oriental fruit fly. The male oriental fruit fly will stop and fly away once they consume enough Methyl Eugenol.

2. Target main Problem – Female Oriental Fruit Fly

A female oriental fruit fly poses more threat than male oriental fruit fly.

3. Regulation – IR Counter, Trap, Phone App

Automatically regulation of the frequency and door open duration depending on data from IR counter and phone APP.

4. Eco-Friendly – Recycle

Replacing the indissoluble plastic material (distributed by the government) with recyclable wood chips. It can reduce environmental pollution.

Mechanism

Actual Functional Video

IR Counter ＆ APP

IR counter records and provides in-time information of the orchard : pest group size, climatological information include temperature, the humidity…etc. With a smartphone app, we are able to inform the grower these important information.

Design

IR Counter + part文字

Functional Test

To improve the accuracy of counter, we try to find the proper size that oriental fruit flies can go through the entrance one by one. We prepared different size of straws to connect two centrifuge tubes, and put the bait, methyl eugenol, in one of the tubes.

Result

In our testing, when the diameter of tube is above 0.8 centimeter, the oriental fruit fly can go through the tube.

(尚未想好名字)

(文字 – 家祥編寫中… 分析實際農地中配置方法 by 承勳model的結果, 成本, Z-bee收訊範圍…)