The device was crafted by Dr. Aida D. Solsoloy, Florendo Calamaan, Lilibeth Paraoan, and Yolanda Abrina, all of the Department of Agriculture - Cotton Development Administration.

Their study was titled "Cost-Effectiveness of the Enhanced Light Trap for Insect Pest Control of Lowland Hybrid Rice and Cotton + Corn Cropping System".

The ELT was among the commerciable technologies presented at the 18th National Research Symposium organized by the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) at its Research and Development Management Information Center in Diliman, Quezon City.

In the study, the CODA researchers assessed the effectiveness of the ELT in controlling insect pests of rainfed lowland hybrid rice and cotton - corn intercropping system during the periof October 2005 - May 2006 (dry season) at the agency’s central experiment station in Batac.

The light trap, they reported, effectively controlled the major pests infesting rice, specifically green and zigzag leafhopper, white-backed and brown planthopper, rice whorl maggot, pink stemborer, and several unidentified species of stemborers and leaffolders.

"Cotton with the light trap produced a greater number of bolls and subsequently higher seedcotton yield than the comparative farm," the CODA researchers noted.

Further, the number of chemical spraying for bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) control was only twice in contrast to the five times of the comparative farm, which was also exposed to 950 strips of the egg parasitoid Trichogramma chilonis.

The researchers further reported that paddy rice, corn kernel, and seedcotton yields were higher in the area with the light trap than that without light trap. Partial budget analysis showed a high index of profitability using the enhanced light trap attributable to the increase in yield and excellence in pest control.

Following the encouraging results of their study, they strongly recommended the use of the ELT by farmers and its distribution through government intervention.