TRIC ROBOTICS INC. — Department of Agriculture SBIR Phase I: 8.130000000000001

Description

Gray mold and powdery mildew can account for as much as 80% of decay in strawberry productionand combined with arthropod pests have a significant impact on yield. Regular application ofpesticides is the traditional solution however increasing resistance regulations and a risingdemand for organic fruit production motivate a need for alternative non-chemical treatmentmethods. USDA ARS scientists developed a treatment methodology called PhylloLux which usesUV-C irradiation array followed by a four-hour dark period (US Patent Application No.2017/0274106 A1 submitted September 28 2017) to manage diseases and pests. Because UV-Cexposure can be harmful to humans and night treatments present scheduling challenges manuallyadministering PhylloLux is impractical. TRIC Robotics LLC has partnered with AFRS in aCRADA agreement (#58-8080-9-003) and seeks to automate the UV-C treatment process describedin PhylloLux for field and commercial applications. We propose the development of anautonomous mobile platform that would enable PhylloLux treatment as a non-chemical alternativeto pesticides. Specifically innovating how UV-C treatment is performed efficiently and effectivelythroughout the field. We envision three primary technical objectives: 1) develop a multi-arraytreatment capability 2) develop a system for accurately controlling UV-C dose and maximizingfield coverage 3) experimentally validate treatment capabilities in open fields. Ultimately the goalis to improve profitability of strawberry production by providing growers with a non-chemicalservice for sustainably controlling pathogens and arthropod pests.