IDeMCroP: development of an integrated fine scale system for informed decision making in sustainable crop protection

Wide scale monitoring, real time data analysis for decision support and use of prediction models are major tools in implementing IPM. Growers, who need to make proper decisions according to IPM principles and, at the same time, safeguard their income, require relevant information constantly and timely in order to make effective informed decisions. Current crop protection warning systems are mostly using regional scale weather and environmental data, but can only partially relate to local variability which is affected by microclimate, actual field level of pest infestation and disease severity, crop varieties, pesticide and agronomic treatments, etc. On the other hand, Decision Support Systems (DSSs) which consider more detailed local data are usually operated on a single grower level, and their local data is not or poorly used on a regional/multi- growers level. A substantial aspect in promoting current IPM practice should be combining and securely sharing both local and regional data in a simple and flexible manner, in order to improve analysis and informed decision making. The required tool is an accessible web based and real time combined system, which should allow holistic decision making with data and analytics up to a plot level, serving growers, agronomists, extension, academy and authorities for IPM practice and overall supervision. The IDeMCroP project is developing such a breakthrough combined platform, based on two innovative systems: Italian Vite.netTM for providing decision support through modelling and Israeli AgriTask for monitoring/scouting and data sharing. These field proven systems present complementary approaches in providing comprehensive real time information and prediction for decision making. Vite.netTM is a web-based DSS for crop protection in vineyards which analyses real time meteorological data from real and virtual weather stations, uses advanced modelling techniques and formulates decision support for controlling fungal diseases, such as downy and powdery mildew, and insect pests, such as the grape berry moth and Mediterranean vine mealybug, according to IPM principles. AgriTask SaaS cloud platform and field scouting cellular application enable real time informed decisions, based on analysis and presentation of geo-referenced pest infestation field reports, crops and treatments history and infestation spatial and temporal trends. The system is already used for area wide multi-grower IPM projects of Mediterranean fruit fly, late blight and other pests in thousands of plots and various crops. The project will connect/integrate the two systems in order to provide a complete set of information and improve the performances of its single components. It will be designed to optimize scouting activities and crop protection treatments, and allow secure data sharing for improving both routine operations by growers and agronomists, and authorities supervision of IPM implementation according to the new directive.