Environmental Analysis & Electrochemistry


IR THERMAL IMAGING CAMERAS REVEAL THE CRETS OF COEXISTING INSECTS


rmal imaging is a great help in the study of insects. Researchers use it in er to discover how several species of insects coexist on a host plant. At Penn te University, a FLIR T650sc has provided valuable thermal information in an eriment with coexisting insect species on wheat plants.


Ruud Heijsman, Email: ruud.heijsman@fl ir.com Tel: +31 765 794 191


departments of Entomology and logy at Penn State University e made it their mission to conduct standing research on insects that improve human health, quality


Thermal imaging is a great help in the study of insects. Researchers use it in order to discover how several species of insects coexist on a host plant. At Penn State University, a FLIR T650sc has provided valuable thermal information in an experiment with coexisting insect species on wheat plants.


The departments of Entomology and Ecology at Penn State University have made it their mission to conduct outstanding research on insects that will improve human health, quality of life, and the sustainability of our food and ecosystems. Entomology is indeed an interdisciplinary life science that contributes much to our understanding of life, our environment, and the well-being of our society. Insects signifi cantly affect human civilization, whether the impact is positive, such as pollination of our food plants, or negative, such as competition with our food supply or carriers of major human diseases.


ife, and the sustainability of our d and ecosystems. Entomology indeed an interdisciplinary life ence that contributes much our understanding of life, our ironment, and the well-being our society. Insects significantly ct human civilization, whether the act is positive, such as pollination our food plants, or negative, such competition with our food supply arriers of major human diseases.


ECTS AND TEMPERATURE earch


the Departments of Insects and Temperature


Research in the Departments of Entomology and Ecology addresses diverse questions and uses a wide variety of experimental approaches and methodologies, including thermal imaging, to discover more about the lives of insects. Temperature is one of the most important environmental factors affecting the growth and development of insects. Microclimatic conditions on the host plant - the plant upon which the insect lodges and subsists – are especially important for herbivorous insects; thermal gradients often govern the distribution of insects on their host plant.


of the most important environmental factors affecting the growth and development of insects. Microclimatic conditions on the host plant - the plant upon which the insect lodges and subsists – are especially important for herbivorous insects; thermal gradients often govern the distribution of insects on their host plant.


Entomology graduate student at Penn State, Mitzy Porras, studies these microclimates and she has a special interest in the coexistence of insects on host plants. ‘How do competitor species coexist in a common environment? The thermal gradient of a plant can give us insights into how such insects live together – the mechanisms of their coexistence – and about the typical distribution of these insects on a plant’.


inMeasuring Plant Temperature


omology and Ecology addresses erse questions and uses a wide ety of experimental approaches methodologies, including thermal ging, to discover more about the s of insects. Temperature is one


An experiment was set up to identify the thermal gradient on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). “We wanted to accurately measure the temperature of wheat plants, both on the stem and on the apical parts of the plant,” said Mitzy Porras. “However, the physical traits of the wheat plant – the narrow leaves and stem – defi nitely made it a challenge to accurately and reliably determine the plant’s temperature.”


“I had worked with thermocouples before on other universities, but unfortunately this is not a very effi cient technology to measure the temperature of plants,” says Mitzy Porras. “First of all, a thermocouple only measures the temperature on one point, not on a larger, more signifi cant surface. Second, to measure the plant’s temperature with a thermocouple, you have to touch the plant. And by touching it, you can actually modify the temperature. Of course, this would not result in accurate measurements.”


thermal gradient on


Entomology graduate student at Penn State, Mitzy Porras, studies these microclimates and she has a special interest in the coexistence of insects on host plants. “How do competitor species coexist in a common environment? The thermal gradient of a plant can give us insights into how such insects live together – the mechanisms of their coexistence – and about the typical distribution of these insects on a plant.”


MEASURING PLANT TEMPERATURE An experiment was set up to identify the


wheat


The FLIR T650sc is a thermal research camera with 640 x 480 pixel resolution and small spot size, delivering precise results and reliable temperature measurement accuracy.


Thermal Imaging Cameras Reveal the Secrets of Coexisting Insects


Mitzy Porras: “The FLIR T650sc camera is very easy to operate. You can choose to use the FLIR unit out in the fi eld or work with it in the lab, which makes it very fl exible.”


Thermal Imaging


“For this experiment, we decided to use a thermal imaging camera, because this technology allows us to accurately characterise the thermal heterogeneity on plants,” says Mitzy Porras. “It can assess temperature on both the stem and the apical parts of the plant at the same time, and you have a total overview of the thermal gradient in one image. The narrow leaves and stem also made it diffi cult to distinguish the plant’s temperature from the background temperature. But we were able to overcome this limitation by using an appropriate lens on the thermal camera. This way, we were able to assess the temperature in three points across the wheat leaf.”


Mitzy Porras: “The FLIR T650sc camera is very easy to operate. You can choose to use the FLIR unit out in the field or work with it in the lab, which makes it very flexible.”


“Another huge benefi t of thermal imaging is that this is a non-destructive method, which means that you don’t infl uence the temperature of the plant by measuring it.”


IR.COM in


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tal nd tic ant nd for nts cts


The thermographic measurements were taken with a FLIR T650SC thermal imaging camera with a 15mm lens and with an emissivity value of 0.90. The wheat plant was located in a growth chamber, with controlled humidity, light, temperature, and wind speed, which ensured a homogenous airfl ow and avoided fl uctuations. The FLIR camera was exposed to the environmental conditions in the incubator for about two hours before the experiment, and the plants were acclimatised 24 hours before pictures were taken. A set of 10 pictures were taken per plant, with one meter distance between the plants and the camera. The thermal gradient was assessed on plants under simulated conditions of fi eld density and for individual plants.


APPL


the pla before of 10 p with on plants gradien under density


The FLIR T650sc is a thermal research camera with 640 x 480 pixel resolution and small spot size, delivering precise results and reliable temperature measurement accuracy.


The FLIR T650sc is a thermal research camera with 640 x 480 pixel resolution and small spot size, delivering precise results and reliable temperature measurement accuracy.


Simulated field density growth of wheat, from left to right: Visual image, thermal image, measurements. There is a thermal gradient on the wheat plant (under simulated field density). The plant’s temperature varied from 22 ± 1.5°C in the stem to 32.5± 1 °C in the most apical part of the leaves.


(Triticum aestivum L.). “We wanted to accurately measure the temperature of wheat plants, both on the stem and on the apical parts of the plant,” says Mitzy Porras. “However, the physical traits of the wheat plant – the narrow leaves and stem – definitely made it a challenge to accurately and reliably


Simulated fi eld density growth of wheat, from left to right: Visual image, thermal image, measurements. There is a thermal gradient on the wheat plant (under simulated fi eld density). The plant’s temperature varied from 22 ± 1.5°C in the stem to 32.5± 1 °C in the most apical part of the leaves.


measure the plant’s temperature with a thermocouple, you have to touch the plant. And by touching it, you can actually modify the temperature. Of course, this would not result in accurate measurements.”


THERMAL IMAGING


COMFO In the imaging Mitzy the t experim academ the T6 imaging researc the righ


The FL camera


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