Platform With Feeding Elements For Natural Enemy Maintenance

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current biological pest control methods require intensive scouting and delayed introduction of natural enemies, allowing pests to establish a head start before control measures can be effectively implemented, resulting in inefficient pest management.

Innovation Solution

A method involving platforms with mechanical support and attached feeding elements, such as decapsulated Artemia cysts, is used to maintain natural enemy populations on crops before pest occurrence, providing a continuous food source and shelter, thereby enhancing early establishment and longevity of natural enemies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If natural enemies are introduced only after pests appear, then pest control can be targeted effectively, but pests gain a head start and reproduce before control measures are implemented

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffectiveness of pest controlVSAvoidtime delay in introducing natural enemies

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by providing feeding elements (such as decapsulated Artemia cysts) on the crop before pests arrive, which enables natural enemies to establish populations in advance. This preliminary provisioning of food sources allows natural enemies to be present and active before pest infestation occurs, eliminating the time delay and giving them a competitive advantage when pests eventually appear.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If high numbers of predators are released intensively once pests are detected, then pest control effectiveness is improved, but the complexity and cost of intensive scouting and timing increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepest control effectivenessVSAvoidcomplexity of scouting and release operations

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates the need for intensive scouting and timing by pre-establishing natural enemy populations through preliminary provision of feeding elements. Instead of requiring complex monitoring and coordinated release operations, the system simply requires applying the feeding elements to the crop, after which natural enemies naturally establish themselves without further human intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies self-service by allowing natural enemies to autonomously establish and maintain populations on the crop through the provided feeding elements. Once the feeding elements are applied, the natural enemies self-organize, self-feed, and self-regulate their populations without requiring continuous human management, scouting, or coordinated release operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Duration of action of stationary object

If feeding elements are applied frequently to maintain natural enemy populations, then population sustainability is improved, but the frequency of applications and resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveduration of natural enemy population maintenanceVSAvoidfrequency of applications required

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent achieves extended duration of action by fundamentally changing the physical and chemical parameters of the feeding elements. The decapsulated Artemia cysts are processed to provide long-lasting nutritional value, and their slow release characteristics enable them to sustain natural enemy populations for extended periods without requiring frequent reapplication, thereby reducing the productivity burden of frequent applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach allows for the sustained presence of natural enemies, enabling immediate pest control upon infestation, reducing the need for frequent applications and improving the durability and efficiency of pest management, with decapsulated Artemia cysts serving as a long-lasting feed source for at least three weeks.

Implementation Method 1

decapsulating the hydrated Artemia cysts using cooled chemicals

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDecapsulation using cooled chemicals:

Data Source

PatentUS11641814B2Maintaining populations of natural enemies on plants

Publication Date: 2023.05.09 BIO BEE SDE ELIYAHU

AI summary

Methods and platforms are provided for maintaining a population of natural enemies on plants, prior and/or parallel to an occurrence of respective prey pests, by associating with the plants platform(s) comprising mechanical support(s) with attached feeding elements for the natural enemies. The platform may be configured to keep the feeding elements close to but not on the plants, protecting them and enhancing the distribution efficiency and life time, while maintaining good availability of the feeding elements to the natural enemies. Various features may enhance supporting the natural enemies' population prior and/or parallel to the occurrence of the pest prey such as olfactory and/or visual cues to the feeding elements as well as sheltering elements such as artificial domatia on the surface of the mechanical support—to enhance biological pest control. Moreover, methods for preparing decapsulated Artemia cysts as feed for predatory arthropods are provided.