Catching the conditions that lead to thrips outbreaks weeks before the outbreak

EcoSense disease detection in action with multispectral imaging technology.

PROBLEM

Thrips outbreaks rarely arrive without warning — they're the consequence of weeks of accumulated stress that goes unnoticed in real time. This farm had repeated humidity spikes (91–92% when lights came on) and stress signatures across basil and coriander throughout June and July. When staff went on holiday in August, the population exploded and took over.

ECOSENSE INTERVENTION

Detected the humidity spike events on June 24 and the stress signatures in basil (June 24) and coriander (July 9–16) as they happened.
Continuously logged the leading indicators — the patterns that precedea thrips outbreak by weeks.
Built a record of the chain of stressors that allowed the outbreak to be reconstructed and prevented next time.

RESULTS

The pattern of conditions that precedes a thrips outbreak is now identifiable in advance — not in retrospect.
Future outbreaks of this type can be intercepted before population growth becomes uncontrollable.
The underlying causality of pest outbreaks shifted from invisible to documented.

PROBLEM

ECOSENSE INTERVENTION

Detected the humidity spike events on June 24 and the stress signatures in basil (June 24) and coriander (July 9–16) as they happened.
Continuously logged the leading indicators — the patterns that precedea thrips outbreak by weeks.
Built a record of the chain of stressors that allowed the outbreak to be reconstructed and prevented next time.

RESULTS

The pattern of conditions that precedes a thrips outbreak is now identifiable in advance — not in retrospect.
Future outbreaks of this type can be intercepted before population growth becomes uncontrollable.
The underlying causality of pest outbreaks shifted from invisible to documented.