Molecular Entomology 2024, Vol.15, No.5, 209-220 http://emtoscipublisher.com/index.php/me 209 Feature Review Open Access Precision Pest Management: IoT and Remote Sensing in Tea Plant Protection Yali Deng, Haomin Chen Tropical Medicinal Plant Research Center, Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China Corresponding email: haomin.chen@hitar.org Molecular Entomology, 2024, Vol.15, No.5 doi: 10.5376/me.2024.15.0025 Received: 11 Sep., 2024 Accepted: 12 Oct., 2024 Published: 24 Oct., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Deng and Chen, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Deng Y.L., and Chen H.M., 2024, Precision pest management: IoT and remote sensing in tea plant protection, Molecular Entomology, 15(5): 209-220 (doi: 10.5376/me.2024.15.0025) Abstract Precision Pest Management (PPM) integrates advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and remote sensing to enhance pest control in tea plantations. This study explores how these technologies improve the detection of pest infestations, optimize pesticide use, and reduce environmental impact. IoT sensors provide real-time data on environmental conditions, while Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) equipped with multispectral and hyperspectral cameras survey large plantation areas, enabling early pest detection and targeted interventions. The combination of these technologies leads to cost savings, improved crop health, and more sustainable farming practices. The results demonstrate that PPM can significantly reduce pesticide use, improve tea yield and quality, and support long-term environmental sustainability in tea cultivation. Keywords Precision pest management; Tea tree protection; IoT; Remote sensing; UAV 1 Introduction Tea plants are an essential crop, especially in Asia, where tea production plays a significant economic and cultural role. However, tea plantations are highly susceptible to various pests and diseases that can drastically reduce yield and quality. Common pests, such as tea looper and tea aphids, and diseases like tea blister blight can lead to significant economic losses. Traditionally, pest management in tea plantations has relied heavily on the use of chemical pesticides. While these chemicals can effectively reduce pest populations, they pose considerable risks to the environment, such as soil and water contamination, and can lead to pesticide resistance over time. This makes pest control less effective and increases the cost of tea production due to the need for higher pesticide usage. Moreover, excessive pesticide application can result in harmful residues on tea leaves, which poses a risk to consumer health. As awareness grows regarding sustainable agricultural practices, there is a shift toward more environmentally friendly and effective pest management approaches. Tea growers are increasingly adopting Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies, which combine biological, mechanical, and chemical methods to control pests while minimizing environmental impacts. However, even IPM can be resource-intensive without the aid of advanced technologies. This is where Precision Pest Management (PPM) enters the picture, offering a more targeted and efficient approach to tea plant protection (Koshariya et al., 2023). Precision Pest Management (PPM) has emerged as a vital component of modern agriculture. It allows farmers to control pests more effectively by using data-driven insights and real-time monitoring tools. Unlike traditional methods that apply broad-spectrum pesticides across large areas, PPM targets specific infestations in precise locations and at the optimal time, thus reducing unnecessary pesticide use and minimizing environmental impacts. This method is especially beneficial in crops like tea, where consumer health and safety are paramount, as tea leaves are directly consumed. By using PPM, tea growers can ensure that the plants receive just the right amount of treatment at the right time, optimizing resource usage while maintaining product quality. PPM also contributes to economic sustainability by reducing input costs, such as pesticides and labor, while increasing the overall efficiency of pest control measures. The ability to make informed decisions based on real-time data helps prevent crop losses, which is crucial in high-value crops like tea. Additionally, PPM can help mitigate the issue of pesticide resistance, a growing concern in agricultural pest management, by allowing for more strategic and varied application of pest control measures. In essence, PPM is not just about pest control; it represents a comprehensive approach to sustainable agriculture that protects crops, preserves the environment, and ensures economic viability (Ennouri et al., 2019).
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