South African scientists have developed a new technique that will be used to detect cut plotters, an alarming development in the hunt for a new species of cutworm that have recently become an issue in many parts of the world.
The new technology involves using a high-powered camera to look for the microscopic worms, which are about the size of a human hair, as they burrow through the earth and attack living organisms.
The cameras are mounted on a piece of equipment known as a “cutter blade” that can be found on most modern home appliances.
“We have developed the cutting blade and a very high resolution camera that allows us to follow the cutworm, as it burrows,” Dr Jef Boehm from the South African National Research Council (NRC) said.
“It’s a very powerful technology, so we’re very excited about the potential of this new tool.”
Dr Boehm said that he hoped the cutting tool would help scientists better understand the biology of cutworms and help scientists in the future better identify other species of this cutworm.
“Cutworms are a very interesting organism, because they’re not really very well known,” Dr Boehm told the ABC.
“They’ve been found in a number of areas in Africa, in Australia, in the United Kingdom, and in other parts of Africa.”
The cutworm is known to attack live animals, including people, livestock and insects.
Dr Boehn said that the new tool could be useful in the quest to find new species.
“The cutting blade allows us not only to follow this organism, but also to find other organisms in the same environment that may have been infected by the same cutworm,” he said.
The research team is now developing the cutting knife in South African soil to be used in future tests.
Dr John Houghton from the University of South Africa’s Institute for Biological Studies, said that more cutting tools needed to be developed in order to help researchers in the field.
“This research is just the tip of the iceberg,” Dr HoughTON said.
Topics:research,biotechnology,biological-science,scotland