Radio wave pest control
Encyclopedia
The Concept of radio wave (RW) or radio frequency
(RF) in the use of controlling the behavior of living organisms have been speculated on for years. Only recently, studies have shown promise in using this technology in commercial applications.
According to Drs. Juming Tang and Shaojin Wang at Washington State University
(WSU) with colleagues at the University of California-Davis
and USDA
's Agricultural Research Service in Parlier, California
, RF energy generates heat through agitation of bound water molecules, This process generates heat through ionic conduction and agitation of free water molecules in insects. As a result, more thermal energy is converted in insects.
RF treatments effectively control insect pests at life stages present a variety of locations, without negatively affecting food stuffs and storage locations. This process is technically feasible for large-scale commercial applications. RF treatments may serve as a non-chemical alternative to chemical fumigants
for post-harvest pest control in commodities (such as almond
s, pecan
s, pistachio
s, lentil
s, pea
s, and soybean
s), reducing the long-term impact on the environment, human health and competitiveness of agricultural industries.
Radio frequency
Radio frequency is a rate of oscillation in the range of about 3 kHz to 300 GHz, which corresponds to the frequency of radio waves, and the alternating currents which carry radio signals...
(RF) in the use of controlling the behavior of living organisms have been speculated on for years. Only recently, studies have shown promise in using this technology in commercial applications.
According to Drs. Juming Tang and Shaojin Wang at Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
(WSU) with colleagues at the University of California-Davis
University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
and USDA
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
's Agricultural Research Service in Parlier, California
Parlier, California
Parlier is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 9,494, down from 11,145 at the 2000 census. The city has one of the state's highest percentage of Latinos, a large majority of them are seasonal migrant laborers who arrive and...
, RF energy generates heat through agitation of bound water molecules, This process generates heat through ionic conduction and agitation of free water molecules in insects. As a result, more thermal energy is converted in insects.
RF treatments effectively control insect pests at life stages present a variety of locations, without negatively affecting food stuffs and storage locations. This process is technically feasible for large-scale commercial applications. RF treatments may serve as a non-chemical alternative to chemical fumigants
Fumigation
Fumigation is a method of pest control that completely fills an area with gaseous pesticides—or fumigants—to suffocate or poison the pests within. It is utilized for control of pests in buildings , soil, grain, and produce, and is also used during processing of goods to be imported or...
for post-harvest pest control in commodities (such as almond
Almond
The almond , is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree...
s, pecan
Pecan
The pecan , Carya illinoinensis, is a species of hickory, native to south-central North America, in Mexico from Coahuila south to Jalisco and Veracruz, in the United States from southern Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana east to western Kentucky, southwestern Ohio, North Carolina, South...
s, pistachio
Pistachio
The pistachio, Pistacia vera in the Anacardiaceae family, is a small tree originally from Persia , which now can also be found in regions of Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Greece, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Sicily and possibly Afghanistan , as well as in the United States,...
s, lentil
Lentil
The lentil is an edible pulse. It is a bushy annual plant of the legume family, grown for its lens-shaped seeds...
s, pea
Pea
A pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the pod fruit Pisum sativum. Each pod contains several peas. Peapods are botanically a fruit, since they contain seeds developed from the ovary of a flower. However, peas are considered to be a vegetable in cooking...
s, and soybean
Soybean
The soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses...
s), reducing the long-term impact on the environment, human health and competitiveness of agricultural industries.