PhD research: Detection and monitoring of insect pests in Eucalyptus plantations using satellite and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data

Date
October 2022 to September 2027
Countries
Keywords
forest health
UAV
control insect pests
Institutions
Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) (South Africa)
Research fields
Agriculture and Food Sciences
Technology and Engineering

Eucalyptus plantations are essential for the viability of local communities in South Africa. Invasive pests threaten their sustainability. Gonipterus is a leaf-feeding beetle that defoliates eucalyptus trees. Conventional methods for detecting infestation are spatially restrictive. In this project, we explore the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and time-series Sentinel-2 imagery to detect potential outbreaks of Gonipterus in an early stage.