Stockbridge Technology Centre (United Kingdom)

A multispectral imaging system is presented, using components that will support its deployment within the world of small-holder agriculture. An active narrowband illumination setup was selected, which allowed a low-cost broadband image sensor to be used. The preliminary set-up has been demonstrated with droughted tomato plants as a proof of concept. The results demonstrated a 5, 28 and 90% deterioration after day 1, 2 and 3 respectively; calculated by the disease/water stress index. Initial analysis showed that for specific applications the device be used in lieu of high-cost diffraction gratings, however additional innovation is required to negate unwanted sensing phenomena.

Johanna and her dog. Nearing the end of my GP training and applying for jobs for the future is both exciting and terrifying. At the beginning of this journey I take a moment to consider how my job will change in the next 40 years that I may be working. In 2040, what will we be doing when patients come to consult with us? The tools and rituals of the GP’s trade have not altered greatly in the past 50 years although the substance of the job has. Notes are now kept on a computer but the stethoscope, ophthalmoscope, and BP cuff would be entirely familiar to a previous generation. Although we might refer patients for advanced tests and scans in day-to-day practice in my general practice training rotations, the most advanced piece of kit I’ve used has been …

Biological control efforts against the shore fly Scatella tenuicosta Collin, a pest of commercial glasshouses, have had limited success. The ability of one of its parasitoids, Aphaereta debilitata Morley, to control shore fly populations was investigated on lettuce crops within six experimental glasshouse units, over 26 weeks. The six shore fly populations, either with or without a single release of 150 mixed-sexed parasitoids, were estimated by rearing from harvested pots each week. The presence of the parasitoid significantly reduced shore fly numbers from a mean of 30.3–13.2 adult flies emerging per pot. The level of damage to each lettuce was assessed using a scoring system (0–5: no damage to heavy damage, respectively). The introduction of parasitoids reduced the median damage score of the lettuces from 2 to 1 over the study, representing a considerable change in the marketability of the crop. This study shows that single inoculative releases of A. debilitata can quickly establish within a glasshouse and significantly reduce crop damage. This suggests that the parasitoid may represent a valuable addition to an IPM strategy for shore flies.