Patent Application
20230380402
The present disclosure pertains to orchard pest management and, more particularly, to the treatment and control of pear psylla (Cacopsylla pyricola) and other similar pests.
The pear psylla pest is believed to have arrived in the United States in Connecticut in 1832, and from there it spread to Washington State by the late 1930s. It is considered to be a serious pest to pear orchards in the Pacific Northwest because psylla infestations can stunt, defoliate, and kill trees.
Nymph and adult psylla feed on the plant phloem. Nymphs produce honeydew, which drips or runs onto the fruit, causing dark blotches or streaks. When pear psylla reach large numbers, their activities can stunt and defoliate trees and cause fruit drop, and in some cases fruit set can be reduced the following year. These symptoms, called psylla shock, are caused by toxic saliva injected into the tree by feeding nymphs. Pear psylla can also inject disease into trees via its saliva that damages sieve tubes in the phloem, preventing synthesized nutrients from moving down the tree. This can result in root starvation.
Adoption of resistant root stocks have helped to reduce the damage cause by psylla. Chemical control through the use of pesticides is the most common method, although this causes concern for human health and is unsuitable for organic growers. In addition, chemicals can injure or kill natural predators to the pear psylla and other pests.
In accordance with one implementation of the present disclosure, two systems and related methods of controlling pear psylla are disclosed herein—the tarp system and method and the wall system and method. These two systems may be used individually or in combination as described briefly below and in more detail in the Detailed Description.
Briefly, the tarp system includes two or more tarps sized and shaped to fit the width of an orchard row, a standard paint roller with a handle, a container, such as a five-gallon bucket, oil, such as spray oil (organic), a pole apparatus for use in dislodging the pests from the tree limbs, and a push broom.
In accordance with another implementation of the present disclosure, a method of using the tarp system is provided. The method includes spreading a first ‘tapping tarp’ tarp across the ground at the bottom of a tree. An optional grasping pole may be attached to the tarp to act as a handle for easy manipulation of the tarp. The method then proceeds to filling the container with the oil, and placing a paint roller into the container until saturated with the oil. The method continues with rolling the oil-coated paint roller onto the tapping tarp to coat the tapping tarp with a layer of oil. Once these preparatory steps are completed, the beating pole is used to dislodge the pear psylla from the tree by tapping on the leading tree branches that hang over the tarp. Tapping or beating at least once or twice towards the end of the tree branch leaders will dislodge the psylla onto the oil-coated tapping tarp where they are held on to the tarp by the oil. The method is repeated for each tree, continuing all the way down the row through the orchard.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, when the tapping tarp has accumulated psylla and other debris, the method includes moving the tapping tarp outside the drip line of the tree row and placing a second ‘debris tarp’ slightly under the tapping tarp, then sweeping the debris and entrained psylla from the tapping tarp to the debris tarp, such as with a standard push broom or other similar tool. When this is completed, the debris tarp is folded to prevent the escape of pests and accumulation of debris from wind or rain, and the debris tarp is then disposed. The foregoing method is repeated throughout the orchard by reapplying the oil to the tapping tarp after cleaning it to the debris tarp and then dislodging psylla from the trees.
In accordance with another implementation of the present disclosure, a catchment wall system is provided that includes an orchard speed sprayer mounted on a first movable platform, spray oil, a mobile trailer, and a portable screen mounted on the mobile trailer that is sized and shaped to be positioned in spaced parallel relationship with the speed sprayer on opposing sides of a row of orchard trees.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present disclosure, a method of using the foregoing catchment wall system is provided, the method including attaching the catchment wall to a mobile trailer, the trailer configured to be pulled or pushed by a tractor in an orchard row. The method further includes loading oil into the mobile speed sprayer, and positioning the speed sprayer and the catchment wall in spaced parallel relationship on opposing sides of a row of trees in an orchard, then activating the speed sprayer to spray oil through the tree and onto the catchment wall simultaneous with the speed sprayer and catchment wall moving in unison down their respective paths.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the speed sprayer is configured or structured to spray the oil at a speed that as the oil spray is being applied, psylla in the tree to which the oil spray is being applied will go in flight from the leaves and branches of the tree and land or be pushed onto the catchment wall by the wind and turbulence created by the speed sprayer.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present disclosure, psylla that have landed on the catchment wall will continue to be pressed onto the catchment wall materials and saturated with the oil material to the point at which they drown.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the catchment wall is built with a screen mesh for air movement to continue partially through the screen mesh. The catchment wall is preferably two inches thick on the frame with a screen mesh stapled to both sides of the wall. Ideally, the catchment wall is sized to accommodate both the trailer size and the height of the trees in the orchard.
In accordance with yet a further aspect of the present method, once the screen mesh on the portable catchment wall is coated with dead pests and other debris, it is cleaned with a water sprayer, after which it can continue to be used throughout the orchard rows.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the foregoing tarp system and method and the wall system and method may be used consecutively, either with the tarp system first followed by the wall system or vice versa.
As will be appreciated from the foregoing, the present disclosure provides unique and effective systems and methods for control of pear psylla, a wide spread and damaging pest inherent in pear orchards throughout North America and beyond. The methods have been shown to dramatically reduce the number and persistence of the pest. These methods could also have beneficial and applicable uses for control of other pests such as coddling moth.
These methods provide an organic process that reduces the hatch and spread of the pest and therefore greatly reduces the damage done by the pest to the tree and its fruit. These methods can be used in conjunction with standard equipment as modified or constructed per the description that follows. Each grower should use the normal aqueous combinations of ingredients that have been designed for their orchard by their professional field agent in conjunction with the methods and systems disclosed herein. However, the present disclosed methods, taken alone or in combination, will reduce or eliminate the conventional chemical treatments used for control of the pest.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be more readily appreciated as the same become better understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
In the following description, certain specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various disclosed implementations. However, one skilled in the relevant art will recognize that implementations may be practiced without one or more of these specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures or components or both associated with orchard speed sprayers, tow vehicles, tractors, trailers, tarps, and brooms, and the like, have not been shown or described in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of the implementations and because such are known and readily commercially available.
Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims that follow, the word “comprise” and variations thereof, such as “comprises” and “comprising” are to be construed in an open inclusive sense, that is, as “including, but not limited to.” The foregoing applies equally to the words “including” and “having.”
Reference throughout this description to “one implementation” or “an implementation” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the implementation is included in at least one implementation. Thus, the appearance of the phrases “in one implementation” or “in an implementation” in various places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same implementation. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more implementations.
The present disclosure is described in the context of treating an orchard of pear trees for the pear psylla pest. As shown in
In accordance with one implementation of the present disclosure, a tarp treatment system 20 is provided that, as shown in
The foregoing components can be modified to suit the particular needs of the orchard in which the tarp treatment method 49 will be used. For example, without limiting the scope of the claims, the handle 36 and the pole apparatus 42 can each be of varying lengths or telescopic poles may be used to provide adjustability in their length. With respect to the oil, each grower should use the normal aqueous combinations of ingredients that have been designed for their orchard by their professional field agent in conjunction with the methods and systems disclosed herein.
In accordance with another implementation of the present disclosure, a method 49 of using the above-referenced tarp system 20 is provided as described below in conjunction with
After the oil 40 is in the container 38, the paint roller 34 is placed into the container 38 at a further step 54 to obtain oil 40 on the roller 34. Ideally the roller 34 remains in the container until the paint roller 34 is saturated with the oil 40. In the next step 56, the oil-coated paint roller 34 is then rolled across the exposed (top) surface of the tapping tarp 22 to coat the tarp 22 with a layer of oil 40. The oil 40 should not pool on the tarp 22 in order to avoid waste.
After the foregoing preparatory steps 50, 52, 54, 56, the next step 58 involves using the beating pole 42 by tapping a distal end of the pole 42 on the leading tree branches that hang over the tapping tarp 22. Tapping or beating the pole 42 at least once or twice towards the end of the tree branch leaders facilitates the dislodging of the psylla from the branches and leaves of the tree 30, causing them to fall by gravity onto the tapping tarp 22 positioned below the tree branches. As the psylla 10 contact the oil on the tarp 22, they will adhere to the tarp 22 and be unable to escape. The method is repeated for each tree 30, moving the tapping tarp 22 down the row 28 through the orchard 32. The tarp 22 may be moved manually or mechanically, such as with a tractor, four-wheeler, ATV, or other land vehicle.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, when the tapping tarp 22 has accumulated psylla 10 (and any other debris), the method includes, at a further step 60, moving the tapping tarp 22 outside the drip line of the tree row 28 and placing the second ‘debris tarp’ 24 slightly under the tapping tarp 22, then cleaning the debris from the tapping tarp 20 to the debris tarp 22, such as with the standard push broom 44. Then at a following step 62, once the tapping tarp 20 is cleaned, the debris tarp 22 can be folded to prevent the escape of pests and prevent accumulation of debris from wind or rain. The folded debris tarp 22 can then be disposed 64. At step 66, the foregoing steps are repeated to continue the process throughout the orchard 32 by reapplying the oil to the tapping tarp 20 after cleaning it on to the debris tarp 22. If necessary the container can be replenished with the oil.
Other methods of tapping may be employed alone or in combination. For example, instead or or in addition to manually tapping the branches, tapping may be done mechanical, such as with a motor driven arm that is carried by hand or mounted to a movable platform, such as a trailer or vehicle.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a wall treatment system 70 for removing pear psylla 10 from trees 30 is provided, which is illustrated in
The wall treatment system 70 includes a portable sprayer 72 mounted on a movable platform, such as a trailer 74 that is towed by a vehicle 76, in this case a tractor. Ideally the sprayer 72 is a readily commercially available orchard speed sprayer 72 that will not be described in detail herein. Generally, a 400 gallon sprayer would provide application for four acres using the disclosed method. The pressure is typically 150 pounds and the sprayer moves over the ground at about 1.5 miles per hour. This is in accordance with the spray recommendations for a test orchard where the inventor's testing has primarily occurred. These parameters can be altered according to the needs of each particular orchard. It is to be understood that the sprayer 72 is structured to blow both air and moisture as part of its function.
While a typical sprayer holds 400 gallons—the majority of which is water—a combination of other materials (such as Surround, stickers such as NuFilm or Pinene) would be the same proportions as the ‘spray recommendations’ from the field agent. Local governments, such as the federal government as well as states and counties, highly regulate how any sprays are prescribed and applied by licensed professionals. Each orchard is different (geography, time of year of the spray, stage of growth of insects like Psylla, area surrounding the orchard, etc.), which is why spray recommendations are designed by a field agent for each grower individually. Growers have to provide proof of an applicator's license as well detailed spray records (matching their agent's spray recommendations), which are reviewed by the government via an audit.
Part of the simplicity of the present disclosed systems and methods lies in the fact that the grower (and field agent) do not have to change the way they have mixed and applied their sprays. It is more or less the same way they have been doing it. And variations of the systems and methods disclosed herein are possible. For example, a grower could indeed use the wall method with just water in the sprayer, which could be in addition to their regular spray method as prescribed by the field agent.
The system 70 further includes a movable catchment wall 78 that can be mounted on a trailer 80 to be towed behind a second vehicle 82. The vehicle 82 may be a tractor, all terrain vehicle, motorcycle, four-wheeler, or other land vehicle. In one implementation the catchment wall 78 is built with a screen mesh 84 to enable air to move at least partially through the screen mesh while retaining sprayed oil and psylla 10 on the screen mesh 84. The catchment wall 78 is preferably two inches thick and is mounted on a frame 86 that is sized and shaped to accommodate both a size of the trailer and a height of the at least one tree 30 in the orchard. The screen mesh 84 is attached to one or both sides of the frame 86.
The size of the screen mesh 84 needs to be small enough to catch the psylla, but large enough to allow wind and spray to go through without substantial resistance. In one implementation, it has been found that standard commercially available screen door mesh will work, and it can be metal or plastic mesh. Insect screen having a thickness of 0.125 inch and a mesh size in the range of 16×16 to 18×18 with a wire diameter in the range of 0.009 to 0.011 inch has worked satisfactorily.
In accordance with a method 90 of using the catchment wall 78, as shown in
Further preparatory to dislodging the psylla 10 from the trees 30, at a further step 98, the process requires positioning the speed sprayer 72 and the catchment wall 78 in spaced parallel relationship on opposing sides of a row 28 of trees 30 in the orchard. Then at a subsequent step 100, the sprayer 72 is then activated to spray a mist 79 of air and oil through the tree 30, dislodging psylla 10 from the tree 30 and, at a following step 102, catching the dislodged psylla 10 on the catchment wall 78 with, at another step 104, the simultaneous movement of the sprayer 72 and the portable catchment wall 78 and in unison down their respective paths on each side of the row 28 of trees 30. In one implementation, the sprayer pressure is typically 150 pounds and the sprayer 72 and catchment wall 78 move over the ground at about 1.5 miles per hour.
The wall method typically removes the bulk of psylla and material from the sprayer 72 and wall 78 while in operation. Hence, clean up afterwards involves just washing off the catchment wall 78 and the sprayer. As shown in
During operation, the spray exits from the sprayer 72 and impacts the wall 78 with a vortex pattern. The vortex will stream in the direction from which the moving wall 78 came. The result is a more focused application of the pesticide that minimizes drift, results in non disturbance in untreaded areas, and maximizes kill by preventing escape of pests from the area being sprayed by the sprayer 72.
After the catchment wall 78 is cleaned, the method then continues as described above.
It will be appreciated that the foregoing catchment wall system and method can be adapted for use in other environments, such as a greenhouse. One greenhouse implementation would use tracks in which the wall and the sprayer are mounted on respective tracks and are moved simultaneously or in coordination with each other on their respective tracks down each row of plants. The sprayer and wall may be electrically powered, such as with solar power provided by a solar panel or panel array associated with the greenhouse.
In addition to the foregoing, a computer implemented control system may be employed for one or both of the wall and the sprayer in any of the foregoing environments. The computer-implemented control system would use conventional computers configured to operate according to pre-programmed instructions or real-time instructions operating in conjunctions with sensors in the orchard or greenhouse that adjust the movement speed, amount of spray, wind speed, etc., in accordance with either pre-programmed instructions or instructions modified by data from live sensors.
It is to be understood that the two methods 49, 90 and systems 20, 70 described above can be used individually or together. However, with respect to timing, the tarp method should be used when there is no fruit on the trees, as well as when the fruit buds have not been swelled to the point the buds can be knocked off due to tapping. The wall method can be used at any time the wall trailer and sprayer unit can be moved down the rows in the orchard.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing and the accompanying drawings that this system and method can be used in orchards, greenhouses, nurseries and other environments with a variety of plants to control numerous types of pests. A multiple variety of commodities, such as sprayers and other equipment, including the shape of the wall, can be used in accordance with the present disclosure as known to those skilled in the art. In addition, more advanced technologies may be employed, such as drones.
For example, a single or multiple drones may be used to hold and move the wall 78 while a single or multiple drones may be used to hold and move the sprayer 72. Drone swarm technology may be used to control multiple drones with a single wall 78 and sprayer 72 or for simultaneous deployment of multiple walls 78 and sprayers 72, as is known to those in the drone technology field.
A further implementation of any of the foregoing embodiments may employ lights on the wall to attract codling moths, other moths and pests, to enhance efficacy of the system and method disclosed herein.
The various implementations described above can be combined to provide further implementations. These and other changes can be made to the implementations in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific implementations disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible implementations along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2021/059183 | 11/12/2021 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63117841 | Nov 2020 | US |
