Dynamic analyses for the optimization of a pest control system based on vibrations

: In many Hemipteran insects, vibrational communication is fundamental for reproduction in that it can provide cues that enable partner identification, location and courtship. If this communication fails, none of the previous actions will be possible and the species reproduction is compromised. From this concept, a new method of pest control, an alternative to pesticides, is currently under development: the vibrational mating disruption, which is based on the use of disturbance noise (DN, i.e., disruptive synthetic vibrations specifically designed to interfere with the mating communication). In this study, we describe from an engineering point of view this method, applied in the field for the control of the grapevine leafhoppers Scaphoideus titanus and the Empoasca vitis. In order to prevent mating, the DN is continuously transmitted by a system of mini-shakers through the vineyard, from the trellis (i.e., poles and wires) to the grapevine leaves. The DN can disrupt the target species because of its specific frequency pattern and provide the respect of certain threshold of intensity. For these reasons, (i) we must reduce all the possible causes of dissipation and/or (ii) optimize the signal transmission at the source i.e. the mini-shakers. Since this method is applied in the field, many uncontrollable factors can contribute to dissipating the signal (materials, junctions, external perturbations just to name a few). Therefore, in the first instance, we decided to focus on the mini-shaker position to enhance its performance. In this study, we report our dynamic analysis of the shakers to suggest some changes, by varying the shaker assembly, stiffness, mass and position, and so generate improvements on the quality and the intensity of the signal to be transmitted. Both numerical (finite element) simulations and field measurements are shown to validate the proposed solutions.