Proposed tHrip Treatment
We believe that the ultrasonic vaporisation of our actives in conjunction with parasitic mites can break the lifecycle of the western flower thrip. The process will require no withholding periods and there will be no toxic residues.
We propose to use actives with short lifespans (less than 1 hour in UV light), vapourised before dawn and inactive soon after. Initial testing has shown a 94% reduction in viable larvae, after only one cycle of treatment
Initial Replicable Results
Vapour Science’s approach to Thrip Control has been independently replicated by Dr Duong Nguyen (DPI Research Scientist). Results showed a significant reduction in larvae and adult thrip survival following treatment.
| Treatment | Surviving Adults (48h) | Dead Adults (48h) | Produced Larvae (7 days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control with RO water only | 18 | 2 | 144 |
| Control with 0.1% Tween 80 | 11 | 0 | 53 |
| Tested formulation | 10 | 6 | 8 |
In this experiment, 19 females + 5 males (synchronous adults) of western flower thrips, were released per plant just before the vaporising started.
We vaporised each treatment for 30 minutes and recorded the time each treatment finished. The control was vaporised first, followed by the control with tween, and the tested ingredients were vaporised last.
After vaporisation, cages with the plants were held in the container for 48 hours. After 48 hours, the leaves were cut off the plant and transferred to a Petri dish with a filter paper lining. Record dead and surviving adults detected on the leaf and the filter paper used to cover the pot. Parafilm was wrapped around the Petri dish.
Larvae were counted 7 days after vaporisation.
Commercial Opportunity
These promising results form the basis of a ready-to-scale, non-toxic alternative to traditional pesticide use. Vapour Science is currently seeking commercial partners to advance this innovation.