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Plant disease models used on FieldClimate

Grape vine downy mildew is the disease where the first prediction models have been used. In 1935 Müller and Sleumer published the oldest prediction model for Plasmopara viticola. Since this our understanding of the disease has grown and our models for primary and secundary infections have been defined and refined during the last two decades. For powdery mildew a risk model has been defined by Goubler and Thomas for California. This model shows us when we will have to start controlling this disease intensively. A Grey mould, Botrytis cinerea risk model indicates if a fungicide application against this disease may be helpful. Blackrot, Phomopsis viticola infections dates are indicated by an infection model.Grape Vine Berrymoth flight and egg laying days are pointed out for the complete season.

Apples and pears are a very important fruit for us in Styria. By this reason we are proud about our apple scab model looking for ascospore maturation and for ascospore and conidia infection. Fire blight infection can occure when we have rain or dew, this would be very frequent during bloom. The risk of fireblight is mainly depending of the temperature in the last four days before an infection event during the bloom period. Cydia pomonella flight and egg laying days are pointed out for the complete season. Pear scab has somehow different climatic needs than apple scab. Therefore we use a different model for Venturia pirina. European pear varieties are mostly very susceptible to Pear Fabraea Leaf Spot, Entomosporium maculatum, therefore an infection model is part of our packet. Brown spot of pears caused by Stemphylium versicarium is a very important disease in southern Europe. The model for this disease goes back to the work of LLORENTE at all.

Stone fruits are a big group of species with a wide range of diseases. Cladosporium carpophilum the scab of stonefruits is important on mirabelle and has some limited importance on apricot, peache and necatarine where its incubation period is to long in cases the infection does not take place sort after flowering. The most important disease in the stone fruit is brown rot caused by Monilia ssp. Leaf Curl is the most important disease in peach production. Leaf spot is a causing problems in cherries, sour cherries and plums during moist and warm periods. The Risk for powdery mildew of stonefuit (Spearotheca pannosa) is calculated basing on the temperature. Shut hole of stone fruit is another disease which needs free moisture. Its climatic conditions are very close to the conditions of Monilia ssp.

For strawberry growers we are consulting the use of our Botrytis cinerea model which gives information the actual risk of this disease. Phytophthora cacctorum is important in periods with water logging in the top soil. Strawberry powdery mildew is favoured by warm and humid climate but it is influenced negative by hot, sunny or rainy days.

For potato and tomato growers Fieldclimate is a very useful helper for irrigation scheduling but beside of this models for late and early blight might be helpful too. From the very big market of potao lateblight models we decided to put two on this service. Smith periods is still very popular in England where it does doubtless a very good job. Early blight is the subject of TomCast, a model which is used in tomato, but which can be used in potato too.

For Onions there are two disease which can be predicted on base of climate data. The model for Onion downy mildew has been defined by HILLDEBRAND and SUDDEN. The Botrytis squamosa model goes back to CLARCSON, KENNEDY and PHELPS. Purple leaf spot infections are checked within a three day period. A risk of 100% indicates an infection within this period. The model for Delia antiqua checks for accumulated soil temperatures high enough for the first, second and third generationof this insect.

For Carrots there are infection models for Alternaria ssp. and Cercospora beticola a risk model for Sclerotinia sclerotina and a model predicting the flight of Psila rosae. For asparagus we have developed models for stemphylium leaf spot, rust and Botrytis cinerea.

Canola and Sunflower are both attacked by Sclerotinia sclerotina and Botritis cinerea. Fieldclimate is offering prediction models for this two diseases. To calculate the S. sclerotinia model it will need sensors for temperature, relative humidity, global radiation, wind speed, leaf wetness and precipitation. Sugar beets are attacked by Cercosppra beticola a disease which needs resonable warm climate to become dangerous. 

For wheat we can offer disease models for the different rust diseases for fusarium and for septoria. For rice we are offering models for Rice Blast, Pyrecularia grisea Infection and sheath blight, Rhizoctonia solani risk.