Project Grant 20223353037409

AS GLOBAL POPULATIONS REACH UNSUSTAINABLE LEVELS, FARMERS MUST PRODUCE 70% MORE FOOD IN LESS THAN 50-YEARS. GOVERNMENTS ARE ALLOCATING RESOURCES AND FINANCIAL MARKETS ARE INCREASING INVESTMENTS INTO IMPROVING AGRICULTURAL PROCESSES AT RECORD LEVELS. THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY IS CONSOLIDATING, ACREAGE PER FARM IS INCREASING AND PROFIT MARGIN DECREASING WHERE FARMERS ARE SEARCHING FOR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES TO MAINTAIN PROFITABILITY. THE EXPENSE OF GROWING CROPS (ALMONDS) IS DIVIDED INTO TWO TYPES - FIXED AND CULTIVATION EXPENSES. FIXED EXPENSES INCLUDE LAND, TREES AND EQUIPMENT THAT AVERAGE 50% OF THIS TOTAL. CULTIVATION EXPENSES INCLUDE 1) IRRIGATION, 2) HERBICIDES, 3) FERTILIZERS AND 4) PESTICIDES THAT CHANGE ANNUALLY BUT CAN BE IMPROVED BY CONSISTENT MONITORING AND RESPONDING WITH PRECISE APPLICATIONS. THE FIRST THREE CULTIVATION EXPENSES ARE NORMALLY MANAGED BY ROUTINE, STANDARDIZED SCHEDULES AND ARE OBVIOUS AND NORMALLY NOT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. FOR EXAMPLE, IRRIGATION IS OFTEN SUPPLIED BY SUB-SURFACE MICRO-SPRINKLERS AUTOMATED BY TIMERS AND FERTILIZERS ARE ADDED INTO THE WATER SYSTEM ON AN ANNUAL SCHEDULE.HOWEVER, FOR PESTICIDES, MOST DAMAGING INSECTS ARE NOCTURNAL, AND TYPE OF TIMING OF INFESTATIONS AND DENSITIES ARE DIFFICULT TO REALIZE AND EXPENSIVE TO MONITOR. THERE IS A NARROW THRESHOLD BETWEEN 2%-TO-4% OF CROPS DAMAGED BY PESTS THAT CAN DETERMINE PROFITABILITY. THE AVERAGE LABOR EXPENSE TO MONITOR INSECTS IS $40/ACRE AND COST OF PESTICIDES IN ORCHARDS IS $118/ACRE, WHICH TOGETHER COMPRISE ALMOST 50% OF CULTIVATION EXPENSE, MAKING THEIR REDUCED USE A PRIORITY FOR THE ORCHARD INDUSTRY. AUTOMATED IDENTIFICATION OF DAMAGING SPECIES HAS BEEN AN INDUSTRY OBJECTIVE FOR OVER 50 YEARS. IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THE ORCHARD INDUSTRY WILL INCREASE BY 25% AND USE OF PRODUCTS LIKE SOLARID WILL BE IN HIGH DEMAND TO REDUCE INSECTICIDE VOLUMES.THIS RESEARCH WILL DEMONSTRATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO AUTOMATE IDENTIFICATION OF DAMAGING SPECIES OF INSECTS TO REDUCE CROP LOSSES AND QUANTIFY DENSITIES TO DETERMINE OPTIMUM TIMING OF RESPONSES TO STANDARDIZE PESTICIDE APPLICATIONS REDUCING 1-TO-3 INSECTICIDE APPLICATIONS ($50/ACRE) PER SEASON. THIS INCREASES CROP PRODUCTION AND REDUCES OPERATING (CULTURAL) EXPENSE BY AS MUCH AS $18,000/ACRE WHILE ALSO LIMITING FARM EMPLOYEE EXPOSURE TO TOXIC INSECTICIDES.