Stethoscopes for Palm Trees
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Ended 06/11/2023"Save millions of #coconuts from weevils! Help #scientists make this app. #WALACEA http://hdtk.co/RbeXR"
— Walacea and 54 other supporters
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This project will be made live on Walacea on 11th June
The red palm weevil is the main pest of the palm tree. They lay their larvae inside the tree and can breed at an astronomical rate. The larvae start by eating the inside of the tree. The tree will eventually show signs of bleeding (red marks on the trunk) and when this happens all that can be done to treat the tree is burn it down. However, there is a better solution, Sri Lankan scientist Dr Thrish Nanayakkara has discovered that there is a way to detect the weevils early with a device that can be likened to a stethoscope for trees in combination with a processor. The technology, in a similar way to how doctors use a stethoscope, relies on the processing power of the human brain as well as a device that amplifies distinctive sounds. In the case of the doctor it is irregular rhythms in the heart, in the case of the weevils it is the regular crunching sound they make. In order to use the device, the farmer is given an example recording of what to listen out for (the rhythmic crunching sound the weevils make) and then the farmer uses the app and a stethoscope like attachment to amplifies the sounds inside the tree so the weevils can be detected before they have caused significant damage to the tree. This helps Sri Lankan farmers save their coconut trees, which is incredibly meaningful for farmers with small holdings as well as the Sri Lankan economy.
Find out more by visiting walacea.com when the campaign launches.