In a recent interview with Antonio Cabreira, co-founder and CEO of Neltume, exciting details were revealed about how this Chilean company has been transforming pest monitoring in agriculture since its founding in 2016.
The co-founder of this company began by sharing the story behind its birth: “We started Neltume in 2016 and we began working in pest surveillance due to a challenge launched by Corfo a few years ago, working specifically on remote monitoring of the grapevine moth, and that opportunity allowed us to start working on hardware and also on the first part of the station we developed.”
This initial challenge led to the creation of a revolutionary device that has become an essential tool for farmers in the fight against pests.
The technology developed by Neltume is a smart camera that hangs on trees, allowing continuous monitoring of traps used to catch pests such as the grapevine moth. What makes it unique is its ability to use artificial intelligence to count and analyse the images captured daily, which amounts to constant and detailed surveillance.
In addition to visual monitoring capabilities, the device is equipped with temperature and relative humidity sensors, allowing thermal accumulation to be followed and larval development of pests to be estimated. This information is combined with a phenological model of the pest, providing farmers with a more accurate understanding of when and how to apply control measures.
A second camera is used to monitor fruiting shoots, providing accurate data on plant phenology. This “photorecurrent” data is critical to understanding the relationship between pest development, climate and plant growth phase.
Neltume's technology not only provides farmers with a more precise way to control pests, but also adapts to climate change, an increasingly relevant factor in agriculture. Antonio Cabreira emphasized: "Climate change and the greater accumulation of degree days, make behavior change. This has to do with generations of the pest, speed of development and even the damage they cause, since insects are more active."
The focus on climate change adaptation and a precise understanding of pest behavior in each orchard are key elements for the success of this technology.
However, although Neltume has proven its effectiveness in controlling pests in other crops, Cabreira said they have plans to validate their technology in cherries due to the importance of this fruit in the Chilean agricultural industry.
As for economic benefits, the company's CEO highlighted that the technology optimizes the work of agricultural workers by carrying out more efficient monitoring. In addition, it reduces risk by providing data backed by photographs and improves the quality of control applications, which benefits the target markets.
Simplified access and use
Access to this technology is simple and flexible for producers. Neltume offers a service by season and station, allowing farmers to choose between installation and maintenance by the company or doing the installation themselves with equipment provided.
Growers can access remote monitoring data via a secure web application, allowing them to closely track pests and environmental conditions in their crops. They also receive notifications, monitoring assistance and comprehensive reports for informed decision-making.
The company hopes to expand its presence in the cherry industry and continue collaborating with entities such as today with its arrival at Smartcherry, to spread this innovative technology, which is a valuable tool to understand and control pests more precisely, which has a positive impact on food production and the agricultural economy of Chile.
Watch Neltume's video:
