Locust-Tec
| Locust-Tec | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Status: | Completed |
| Project start: | 2018 |
| Project end: | 2023 |
| Website: | View URL |
| Keywords: | Monitoring, Forecasting, Remote sensing, Earth observation, Technology, Landuse, Drones |
| Species purview | |
| Species purview: | |
| Geographic purview | |
| Asia, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Caucasus and Central Asia | |
The German-Kazakh project Locust-Tec is developing innovative technologies for monitoring and forecasting locust outbreaks as well as environmentally friendly techniques for control. The project is driving preventive control and the introduction of alternative monitoring methods that can reduce the use of insecticides.
Description
The systematic and accurate monitoring and control of locust populations is of critical importance in many parts of the world to prevent locust outbreaks and plagues. The neglect or inefficiency of these tasks often leads to enormous damage of pasture and agricultural areas in Central Asia. Locust-Tec uses satellite and climate data to derive geo-information products for large-scale mapping of the conditions for possible locust outbreaks of Italian locust (Calliptamus italicus) and Moroccan locust (Dociostaurus maroccanus). Innovative satellite sensor technology is being used to develop algorithms for the automatic derivation, analysis and evaluation of locust-preferred areas as well as for the description of habitat conditions. In combination with meteorological data hatching time can be predicted with more spatial and temporal accuracy. Data collection is done with tailored mobile geo data application and GIS systems. Ursage of drones for faster monitoring is explored. These monitoring techniques are intended to facilitate and improve the work of ground surveying teams in key development phases of locusts. The improved prognosis and monitoring of both locusts species can improve preventive locust counteraction operations. These can be done at an early stage of locust development when there is no immediate threat to cultivated land. As a result, the use of insecticides can be reduced, which reduces the pollution of soil and the environment.
Associated publications
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Associated resources
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