Researchers at Oregon State University have helped develop
new environmental monitoring technology that will allow farmers thousands of
miles away, in west and central Asia, to save millions of dollars while more
effectively combatting a pest that is threatening their wheat crops.
Twenty million acres of wheat in parts of Asia and North
Africa are threatened by the “Sunn pest,” a bug that can destroy the value of
wheat. Speed in confronting this pest is essential – even minor delays in use
of pesticides can cut wheat yield by 90 percent, and if just 2-5 percent of the
grains have been affected, the entire crop becomes unusable for making bread.