An information system for the control of brown rust in barley

Abstract

Considerable scope exists for the reduction of the primary and secondary costs associated with crop protection, by the formulation of judicious fungicide application regimes. The design, building and operation of a farm-level computer based information system is described, the purpose of which is to help the farmer make rational spraying decisions. The system makes use of a simulation model built in 1978 which is capable of accurate prediction of the yield loss induced by epidemics of puccinia hordei Otth on Hordeum vulgare L. cv. zephyr. Extensions were made to this model to enable crop growth and disease to be projected into the future.