IPM TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES





.: Read testimonials

farm field inspection and analysis

The Moritor System can be used with off-the-shelf hand held computers for pest monitoring programs; the data collected can then be uploaded to Moritor's internet accessible database for data analysis and reporting.

“At ISCA Technologies, we have the capability, not just to develop solutions using traditional integrated pest management (IPM) approaches, but also to take a multi-disciplinary approach where necessary, incorporating the latest advances in insect chemical ecology, microbiology, engineering, and information technology to develop field tested and cost-effective pest management solutions. We also have the experience and capability to develop and manage the scale up and mass manufacturing of traps, lures and IPM tools in quantities of hundreds of thousands and more.

Importantly, we consider ourselves as, first and foremost, IPM practitioners and promoters. What does this mean for our customers? It means that we collaborate closely with our customers to test our solutions in real world field conditions, and provide the necessary entomological, IPM, and multi-disciplinary perspective to the development and continuous improvement of effective economical and environmentally friendly IPM solutions."

Dr Agenor Mafra-Neto
President and CEO
ISCA Technologies, Inc.
 

ISCA performs in-house and contract entomological R&D. To support its entomological R&D projects, ISCA operates an insectary (insect rearing and testing facilities), which provides insects for research, bio-control and bio-assay purposes. Facilities and equipment include environmental rearing chambers, testing rooms, wind tunnels and olfactometers. Mosquito colonies within our insectary are maintained via an artificial blood membrane system. ISCA also has a multi-disciplinary in-house team of highly specialized researchers - synthetic organic chemists, engineers, entomologists and information technologists, who develop innovative, environmentally friendly and cost-effective integrated pest management (IPM) tools and technologies. Much of the research and development that is performed by ISCA is funded from grant contracts or awards by federal agencies such as DoD, NIH, NIST, NSF and USDA.

The information technology based IPM tools developed by ISCA incorporate features for modular scalability, GIS capability, and management by an integrated Internet accessible pest management information system backbone (known as the Moritor System). ISCA's team of researchers can develop an automated and integrated pest management system that is customized for a specific commodity or pest.

ISCA's tools and solutions are quality tested through scientifically rigorous field tests with the appropriate insect species and with feedback from the target group of users to determine user-friendliness, efficacy and areas of improvement.

Examples of ISCA's IPM tools and technologies are:


  • Mosquito Management Products                                                 www.zumbatrap.com

      ISCA Technologies's ZumbaTM product line has a range of innovative mosquito management products, some of them are :

      • Zumba Mosquito Trap with proprietary SkinLureTM
      • Zumba Easy-Fill CO2 CylinderTM
      • Pulsers that modulate the flow of CO2
      • And more


  • Pest Management Information System                                               www.moritor.com

      The award winning and patented Moritor Pest Management Information System (PMIS) integrates data collection devices (such as PDAs and automated insect identification devices), an internet accessible user account, and an internet accessible centralized database to facilitate data management and decision making for pest control actions. By shortening the process of data management from days or weeks to hours or minutes, the Moritor PMIS allows farmers to address pest problems as soon as they are detected, thus avoiding crisis pest management weeks later, and results in significant cost savings from the reduction in pesticide use (estimated at $23,000 annually for the average U.S. farm with 240 acres) and potential crop damage.


  • Automated Insect Identification Devices
      These are remotely controlled, automated devices that are designed to attract, and through a combination of sensors, identify the relevant insect species and count them. The devices can also be designed to capture required environmental information such as humidity, temperature and GPS information. Information is stored in data loggers and transmitted wirelessly to a centralized database e.g. a personal computer on a farm, to facilitate data management and analysis.

  • Modulated Release Gas Devices                                                 www.zumbatrap.com
      Many pest management tools incorporate the release of gas, such as carbon dioxide, as an attractant or repellent. The use of a modulated release gas device customizes and optimizes the gas for pest specificity, i.e., ISCA can develop modulated gas release devices that modulate parameters such as type, frequency, amount and time schedule of gas release. The devices can also be designed to be activated based on pre-determined parameters e.g. humidity and temperature.

  • Insect Semiochemical Dispensing Systems, Delivery Devices and Traps

      Synthetic semiochemicals such as pheromones need to be deployed with the appropriate dispensing, delivery and trap system.

      Dispensing Systems
      Semiochemical dispensing systems are designed to release the pheromone in a manner that offers the best insect attraction over the longest possible time. Principal functions of the delivery device or dispenser are to hold, and then deliver the volatile active pheromone into the environment. ISCA possesses a wide option of technologies that can dispense, optimize and modulate pheromone release, which it applies to develop lures, using the most cost–effective dispensing solution. Some examples of ISCA’s dispensing technologies are :

      • SPLAT (Specialized Pheromone & Lure Application Technology)
      • Rubber septa dispensing technology
      • Vials with modulated release formulations
      • Water soluble lure capsules

      Delivery Devices
      ISCA has developed delivery devices that store and shoot pheromone pellets. Such devices can vastly increase the productivity of pest control actions which require the use of targeted release of pheromones onto a specific and difficult to reach location e.g. delivery of pheromones onto the bark of a very tall tree at a pre-determined height. Examples of such tools include delivery devices that store and shoot pheromone encapsulated pellets.

      Insect Traps
      IPM solutions often require the use of insect trap technologies. ISCA has an inventory of more than 20 types of insect traps and is constantly innovating new trap designs, which it uses in synergy with dispensing systems, either as a component of the dispensing system, and/or as a monitoring program to evaluate IPM solutions.

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