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further advantage the local simulation tool of SOPRA can easily be expanded for additional
pests since it has an open structure and requires a limited number of simple parameters
which can be established by means of standard experiments or - supported by a thorough
validation - even from the literature.
The web application allows to be used both by consultants and growers which was one of
the most important aims of our project. Growers reach the information about the pest
situation in their area with only one click and the current decision support with just a
second click. On the other hand, consultants are provided with overview tables that allow
conclusions on a countrywide scale. To keep the system as simple and concise as possible,
we did not include a site specific registration of orchards which can be an advantage in field
crops but not necessarily in tree fruit growing.
Spatial resolution of forecasts of course depend on the availability of locally recorded
temperature and radiation data. In Switzerland the governmental extension services
maintain a growing network of small weather stations for scab, downy mildew and fire
blight warnings. Nevertheless, we restrict our data to the official meteorological stations due
to their much better accuracy - especially of air temperature measurements (cf. Sacchelli et
al., 2008). Phytopathological forecasts also depend on precipitation data that are more
influenced by relief and other local characteristics than the temperature data applied in our
system. Although a finer network of stations could lead to a more distinct differentiation of
locations, at the present stage the 14 representative climatic regions used in SOPRA seem to
provide sufficient information on the Swiss scale. Nevertheless, interpolation of precise
weather data could improve the local application in future.
SOPRA has been successfully applied now for about nine years as a reliable tool for
recommendations in apple pests on local and regional scale in Switzerland and also in
southern Germany. Since 2007, the system was also implemented for the major pests in
cherry and pear, European cherry fruit fly and European pear psylla. In 2008, Apple
blossom weevil and Summer fruit tortrix were added. The recently validated models for the
European red spider mite and Plum tortrix are intended to be online during 2011 and
further extensions are planned for the future.
By proper timing of monitoring and pest control measures the decision support by SOPRA
increases the efficacy of pest management and reduces side effects. It advances
environmentally friendly and save control measures like mating disruption or insect growth
regulators since those measure especially depend on precise timing. SOPRA provides an
important contribution to integrated fruit production being a decision making process
whereby growers select from a variety of tactics to keep pests below economic damage
thresholds, while minimizing environmental impact.
7. Acknowledgments
Philippe Blaise (ETH Zurich) is acknowledged for his contribution to the first versions of the
simulation platform. Roger Hess and Paul Wälti (MSI AG, Buchs) contributed with coding
for the web application. Mauro Genini thankfully corrected the French and Italian versions
of the web application. Anja Lahusen, Thekla Ackermann, Lucie Franck, Sandra Noser and
Sonja Stutz helped in the laboratory and with field validation experiments. Claudia Daniel
and Eric Wyss (FiBL Frick) provided breeding material and were involved with validation
of the cherry fly model.
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