Sample surveys for disease/loss estimation

Abstract

In the Workshop we have discussed to some depth disease epidemiology and crop loss assessment, and touched on the methods for relating disease data to yield loss. However, determination of the epidemic/loss relationship is not an end in itself, but rather the first step in a chain of activities aimed at minimising crop losses on the farm. In a previous paper (Teng and Yunus, 1976) I divided the functions of an extension plant pathologist into "active" and "passive", the passive functions being exemplified by the disease diagnostic services of many Ministries of Agriculture; and the active functions being exemplified by direct farmer contact through surveys and demonstration plots.