A student at the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA) in southern Minas Gerais, he develops a software prototype to monitor the tomato moth. The tomato moth (Tuta absoluta) is one of the main pests that affect the tomato crop and generates damage to the tomaticultor. The pest affects from the leaves to the fruits, which causes great economic damage. 

The technological innovation of monitoring is among the winners of the 19th Outstanding Award in Scientific and Technological Initiation, promoted by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). Allana Guedes, from the Agronomy course is the author of the software. The academic is an intern at the Prague Integrated Management Laboratory of the Department of Entomology (DDE). 

The pioneering prototype could be used on smartphones to help producers make decisions. The goal is for farmers to feed the system with data on planting, moth population, in order to determine costs and improve ways of control, in addition to reducing insecticide applications. The absolute Tuta appears especially in dry periods and occurs throughout the year. 

Source: Agrolink