Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
the need for stem-extension treatment for eyespot (caused by Oculimacula spp.) in
winter wheat developed by SAC and the University of Edinburgh, UK has LR -
values of approximately 0.3 and 0.45 offering growers two levels of risk acceptance.
Comparing the values of LR - for actual forecasters with the value for our
hypothetical system, we can see that none of the real systems mentioned has as good
performance as our hypothetical system, and, consequently, none of them is capable
of generating such large differences between P prior and P post .
12.10 WHERE NEXT?
Bottlenecks in the development of operating systems, computer processing speeds
and memory, data storage, and most importantly, communications speed represent
potential limitations for applications of IT in plant disease epidemiology. The
technology and infrastructure has improved vastly in the last few years, demanding
considerable investment by IT users to keep up with developments. The dilemma is
now that some control of the quality and appropriateness of material on the internet
seems desirable, for the sake of search efficiency. However, control is contrary to
the conceptual assumptions of making information available. There is a strong drive
towards accreditation of methods and facilities and thereby the data produced, i.e. a
move towards Quality Assurance (QA) of data by standardised calibration of
instrumentation according to international standards. Security of data and data
accreditation and electronic signatures are major issues particularly for protecting
intellectual property that can include raw data. As data become more readily
available internationally, the same dissemination network should facilitate
information validation. The danger lies in the most powerful providers dictating the
standards.
The vast improvement in the availability, accessibility and quality of graphics on
electronic information systems is one of their great attributes. Although demand for
large files increases institutional costs for storage, transmission and processing,
efficiencies are also gained by replacing one type of information with others that are
more appropriate. For example, images can allow multiple levels of technical
description to be bypassed, enabling access by the non-expert into highly specialist
fields. This is especially valuable for pest and pathogen identification. Linked with
verification data such as geographic location, host etc., many of the pitfalls of such
'picture book' pathology can be avoided. This represents a new or enhanced use of
IT, where the combination of information results in a better or a new product, not
simply the same ones accessed in a different manner. It is such enhanced usages that
represent the greatest potential of IT.
A conceptual change is required in order to best utilise IT. The volume of quality
information can and should be maximised as the constraints of storage and access
are removed. The major proviso is that all information should be appropriately
tagged and it must include verification/authentication details to establish its status.
Using text mining software can compensate for lack of appropriate meta-tagging.
However, many find, for example, editing and proof reading on-screen far more
difficult and error prone than on hard copy. Software to aid such processes should be
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