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Canada firm registrations in states good news for fruit producers.

T.J. Burnham 1, Editor, Western Farmer-Stockman

December 10, 2014

2 Min Read

Semios, a Canada-based provider of real-time agricultural information and precision pest management tools, has received US EPA approval for three aerosol pheromone products that disrupt the mating of codling moth and oriental fruit moth.

"Our new formula performs extremely well at lower temperatures, emitting a drier mist that disperses quickly across an orchard," claims Michael Gilbert, CEO of Semios. The pheromone aerosol dispenser is part of a custom designed controller and sensor network that gives farmers remote access to the conditions in the field 24/7.

Once hung in the trees, the in-field sensors monitor the number of pests and combine this with wind and temperature conditions to optimize pheromone deployment. Most common is a metered puff every 15 minutes, 12 hours a day during evening and nighttime hours through the growing season.

The combination of remote access to the fields 24/7 and the aerosol trigger release means farmers can deploy the right amount of pheromones only when needed, making it more effective and a less costly alternative to pesticides, says Gilbert.

 Semios sells the only pheromone dispenser that can be controlled remotely.

Manus Boonzaier, farm Manager for Canada's largest grower and packer of apples, says his experience with the pheromones has been promising.

"We deployed Semios pheromones on 35 acres this past season and did not need to use any pesticides on this crop, however a separate control block that we established needed multiple sprays," he says. "It was clear the pheromones were highly effective in disrupting the codling moth."

Pheromones confuse the male insect so that they are unable to find the female to fertilize the eggs, thus diminishing pest populations without killing the pests or using toxic substances. Codling moth is the number one global pest of apples and pears, and the oriental fruit moth is the second.

 By switching from pesticides to pheromones, farmers worldwide can produce a safer product with less toxicity to the fruit, workers and environment, says Gilbert.  As the pheromone only targets the specific pest, pollinators and other beneficial insect species are not affected. Semios also offer organic eligible pheromones.

Semios is a precision farming platform that provides real-time information and pest management tools for the tree fruit, nut and grape growers. The product combines hardware with powerful secure online software that monitors field and weather conditions and allows remote pest monitoring and deployment of mating disruption pheromones. It's easy to use, reduces labor and allows farmers to make decisions that preserve and increase crop value. For more information please visit www.semios.com.

About the Author(s)

T.J. Burnham 1

Editor, Western Farmer-Stockman

T.J. Burnham has covered western agriculture for 42 years. A University of Michigan journalism program grad, he worked for The Sacramento Bee for 15 years before moving into specialty farm magazine writing. He has been on the Farm Progress staff for 10 years.

"A lot of my uncles back in Michigan were farmers, but my interest was primarily to become a hot shot city desk reporter. Once I was given a job at the Bee on the metro desk, they told me that they’d hired too many new reporters, and half of us had to go. However, they said there was an opening in the newspaper’s ag division, and if I worked there until the probationary period was over, I could be reassigned to general reporting. I took the job, but by the time the probation period was ended, I found I enjoyed covering ag so much that I never asked to go back to the city side.”

T.J. joined Farm Progress as a California Farmer reporter, then became editor of the Western Farmer-Stockman. He has earned a reputation in the West as a strong source of direct seed information, and has affiliated Western Farmer-Stockman as the official magazine of the Pacific Northwest Direct Seed Association.

His wife, Sally, writes for the magazine and helps with bookwork concerning freelance writers from the eight western state arena which the magazine serves.

T.J. likes hiking and fishing, and dabbles in woodworking projects. He also enjoys gardening and photography.

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