GEWIS,a weather‐based decision support system for timing the application of plant protection products*

Weather circumstances before, during and after the application of plant protection products are very important for efficacy. Knowledge of the behaviour of products in relation to weather circumstances can be an aid to achieving better efficacy and even serve as a tool for reducing the dose in well‐defined applications. Formulation type and dynamic build‐up of the wax layer on the upper side of the leaf are important for sticking and the speed and method of uptake of active substances into the leaves. It is difficult for farmers to combine all the important processes. Knowledge of the relations between plant protection products and meteorological conditions is combined in a decision support system (DSS) with the acronym GEWIS. The system calculates (hourly based) the physical behaviour of products at different stages in the process. With the help of this DSS, the farmer can choose the best moment of the day to apply a product with the optimum dose. Furthermore, users learn when it is possible to apply lower dosages and when not to apply at all.     

Computer aids for plant protection,historical perspective and future developments*

Initiatives such as Videotext and forecasting models resulted in a relatively fast introduction of computer technology on to farms at the end of the 1980s. In several countries there were developments to create models for supervised control and data exchange became digital. Most models were developed for diseases that could expand very rapidly, or diseases that should be controlled regularly. In the 1990s, development of weather‐related Decision Support Systems (DSSs) began. It is important to use the optimal way to disseminate information to the target group; which can differ between or even within countries. The use of DSSs results in a lower risk of crop damage by diseases and pests, and a lower input of active substances, from the use of adjusted dosages. Future developments may include the possibility of implementing a number of DSS‐models into a Geographical Information System, which will support precision agriculture by providing adjusted spraying advice based on plot‐specific characteristics. The success of DSSs is despite its development occurring independently in a number of countries. The speed of development of these systems would have been substantially faster had there been real cooperation between countries or groups of researchers. In order to withstand funding reductions, it is necessary for the development of new DSSs that collaboration between researchers and research groups internationally increases significantly in the near future.     

Biopesticides – towards increased consumer safety in the European Union

The introduction of new food safety regulations in the European Union has resulted in the withdrawal of many synthetic active substances used in plant protection products, in light of their potential or actual harmful effect on human and animal health, as well as on the environment. Alternatives to these compounds are being developed – naturally occurring pesticides, also referred to as biopesticides. The use of biopesticides in crop protection leads to decreased levels of pesticide residues in foods, and as a result to lower risk levels for the consumer. Biologically active agents defined as biopesticides are varied, and therefore application of the same environmental and consumer safety criteria to all of them is impossible. This presents serious complications in the approval of these pesticides as active plant protection products and in their registration. It needs to be stressed that, in the registration procedure of the European Union, biopesticides are subject to the same regulations as synthetic active substances. This situation has resulted in the need to introduce numerous new provisions in the legislation, as well as the preparation of new guidelines facilitating the registration of biopesticides. These activities aim to promote naturally originating pesticides. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry     

Potential and actual uses of zeolites in crop protection

In this review, it is demonstrated that zeolites have a potential to be used as crop protection agents. Similarly to kaolin, zeolites can be applied as particle films against pests and diseases. Their honeycomb framework, together with their carbon dioxide sorption capacity and their heat stress reduction capacity, makes them suitable as a leaf coating product. Furthermore, their water sorption capacity and their smaller particle sizes make them effective against fungal diseases and insect pests. Finally, these properties also ensure that zeolites can act as carriers of different active substances, which makes it possible to use zeolites for slow‐release applications. Based on the literature, a general overview is provided of the different basic properties of zeolites as promising products in crop protection. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry     

The Dutch approach: a combination of meteo‐based decision‐support systems*

Reduction in the amount of active substance and reduced dependence on chemical plant production products are the main items in the Dutch Government Multiyear Crop Protection Plan. There are problems in reaching this goal, as weather conditions in The Netherlands are very beneficial to all kinds of fungal diseases. Such diseases have to be controlled by applications of preventive fungicides, and it is quite regular to use a spray interval of 6–7 days. Another problem is application at the wrong time. With the help of decision‐support systems (DSSs), it is possible to calculate the period of protection by a product, the danger of an infection period and the moment of highest efficacy. DLV‐Meteo offers advice based on five DSSs for individual pests (Prophy, onion leaf spot disease, Botrypré, Mycos and Contapré) and on a general DSS for application at the time of day that ensures highest efficacy (Gewis).     

Effects of nozzle type and spray angle on spray deposition in ivy pot plants

BACKGROUND: Fewer plant protection products are now authorised for use in ornamental growings. Frequent spraying with the same product or a suboptimal technique can lead to resistance in pests and diseases. Better application techniques could improve the sustainable use of the plant protection products still available. Spray boom systems—instead of the still predominantly used spray guns—might improve crop protection management in greenhouses considerably. The effect of nozzle type, spray pressure and spray angle on spray deposition and coverage in ivy pot plants was studied, with a focus on crop penetration and spraying the bottom side of the leaves in this dense crop. RESULTS: The experiments showed a significant and important effect of collector position on deposition and coverage in the plant. Although spray deposition and coverage on the bottom side of the leaves are generally low, they could be improved 3.0–4.9‐fold using the appropriate application technique. CONCLUSIONS: When using a spray boom in a dense crop, the nozzle choice, spray pressure and spray angle should be well considered. The hollow‐cone, the air‐inclusion flat‐fan and the standard flat‐fan nozzle with an inclined spray angle performed best because of the effect of swirling droplets, droplets with a high momentum and droplet direction respectively. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

A web-based decision support system for integrated management of cereal pests

The models in the Danish decision support system (DSS) PC-Plant Protection (PC-P) have been developed during the past 15 years of research on cereal pests in Denmark. Recently, the system was reintroduced as a web-based DSS and is now called Crop Protection Online (CPO). CPO includes models for powdery mildew, rusts, septoria, rhynchosporium, net blotch, eyespot, aphids and leaf beetle larvae and is based on empirical data on: (i) the specific effect of each plant protection product; (ii) control thresholds; (iii) importance of pests according to growth stage; (iv) variation in susceptibility to pathogens among cultivars; and (v) influence of weather on the development of pests. The system has been validated in numerous trials and has proved to give good control of pathogens at low product inputs. The margin of product use has been similar or better compared with standard treatments included in the field trials. In trials where CPO was compared with other DSS, CPO resulted in the lowest input of fungicides, measured as TFI (TFI expresses the ratio applied doses/standard doses throughout a growing season) and the highest margin over product use. Differences in the prices of fungicides and in the grain price may change that. The system is under development in Poland and the Baltic countries, and is also ready for export to other countries.     

农作物病虫害防治农药速查系统构建与应用

为了让农户能够直观了解及掌握常见病虫害的防治信息,帮助农户通过智能手机在农田、果园和茶园等现场方便快捷地获取作物病虫害图文识别要点与科学防治方法,为农户提供在线植保技术服务,本研究采用RESTful Web 服务架构设计,运用HTML5移动Web开发技术,借助微信平台作为用户访问入口,开发了一款跨平台 (android/iOS) 的农药速查软件系统,实现了农药信息查询、病虫害图谱查询及后台数据管理等功能。通过建立农药与病虫害间的关联关系,实现了从农药名称和病虫害名称两个途径查询农药信息;所构建的数据库涵盖了蔬菜、果树、水稻、茶叶及烟草等共30种福建省常规种植作物上的重要病虫害农药防治技术。初步运用验证结果表明,该系统整体实用性和稳定性较好,适合在农村基层推广应用。基于微信平台的农药速查系统能够满足植保新技术普及和应用的需求,可为农户提供简单便捷、对症下药的在线植保科技服务,对提高用户安全施药和科学防控能力、推进农药的增效减量均具有重要意义。     

Development and implementation of cost‐effective plant protection technology using decision‐support systems in Lithuania*

In many European countries, factors important for decision‐making in plant protection, such as biology, weather and environmental conditions, crop management level and their relationships, have been incorporated into decision‐support systems (DSSs). In 1996, a project was jointly elaborated, and research was started by the Danish Institute of Plant and Soil Science, the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture and the Lithuanian and Danish Agricultural Advisory Services. This research was focused on the testing, development and adaptation of a Danish computer‐based decision‐support and information system (PC‐Plant Protection) for plant protection under Lithuanian conditions. Trials were carried out by the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture in 1996/1998 to investigate the potential for reducing fungicide inputs in cereal production in different regions of Lithuania representing typical local agrometeorological conditions. On the basis of the trials, the following conclusions were drawn: the reduced doses and fungicide combinations recommended by the DSS gave rather good control of diseases; spraying according to the recommendations of the DSS increased yield significantly in all experiments and allowed saving in fungicides; some models, e.g. for Leptosphaeria nodorum, were not fully suitable for Lithuanian conditions and need to be developed further.     

Resistance management in Europe: a preliminary proposal for the determination of a minimum number of active substances necessary to manage resistance

The evolution of resistance to plant protection products (PPPs) is an increasing management challenge that relates to both an increasing number of species and a limited number of active substances. The number of available active substances (a.s.) has decreased considerably over the past two decades, increasing the gravity of the resistance problem. Managing the threat of resistance is based on a reasoned choice of a.s., their sequence and combination. No quantitative information is available on how many different PPPs are needed for a sustainable control system of a given pest. This paper provides a first expert judgement‐based attempt at estimating the number of different a.s. necessary for sustainable control of a pest in which the evolution of resistance is prevented.     

Development of an interactive decision‐support system on a Web site for control of Mycosphaerella graminicola in winter wheat*

A decision‐support system (DSS) has been developed in Belgium to help farmers and advisers to manage Mycosphaerella graminicola in winter wheat during stem elongation. The system calculates in real time the interactions between winter wheat and M. graminicola development to simulate disease progression in the canopy in order to guide field observations on the different leaf layers and determine the risks for the crop. It has been structured to run with individual field input and local hourly meteorological data. An interactive Internet version of the system has been developed to facilitate the delivery of information. It allows users to base their decisions on advice tailored to conditions in their own fields, as well as to recent and validated hourly local meteorological data that is regularly updated on the server computer.     

Effects of fertilization on pests and diseses

The aim of integrated farming systems research is to develop sustainable farming systems from an economic, technical and environmental point of view. Strategies for crop rotation, crop protection and fertilization are briefly discussed in relation to potato production. The effects of different levels of fertilization on the incidence of some pests and diseases of potatoes are discussed in more detail, based on a literature study. Some results of potato production on the three farms for integrated arable farming in the Netherlands are also presented.     

Biologically active substances from higher plants: Status and future potential

Plant breeding and selection, husbandry techniques and crop protection technology, including agrochemicals, have all made substantial contributions to the present-day level of crop productivity. However, yield losses due to disease, pests and weeds must continue to be minimized in order to meet the food supply demands from an ever growing population. Appropriate synthetic chemicals are becoming increasingly difficult to discover and develop due to stricter requirements on efficacy, selectivity, toxicology and general environmental impact. Consequently, there is a growing interest in understanding and utilising natural mechanisms as the basis for crop protection products. Plants themselves are a rich source of biologically active substances which could potentially be harnessed to modify crop growth or to protect crops against disease and pests. This review describes briefly the current status of understanding relative to plant–plant (herbicide and plant growth substances), plant–fungal (fungicide) and plant–insect (insecticide) interactions. Future prospects are considered in relation to directed synthesis, cell culture, microbial pesticides and plant genetic engineering. The opinion expressed is optimistic and suggests that science today can be utilised to secure the food supply of tomorrow. However, utilising either natural products or molecular biology may require an improved understanding of crop physiology and new developments in agronomy. Therefore, the time-frame for major impact of the ‘new’ technologies on crop productivity may be longer than is commonly predicted.     

Integrated management of insect pests,diseases and weeds of cotton in Africa

Integrated pest management systems were developed originally in response to the appearance of insect populations with resistance to common insecticides. Cotton with its heavy dependence on insecticidal sprays was one of the first crops in which the effectiveness of control declined due to resistance in the target pests. Although insecticide resistance is more of a problem in large scale production systems, the IPM approach can also benefit the smallholder by reducing the number of sprays required with consequent cost savings. Where crop growth is adversely affected by diseases, competition from weeds or poor management, the full benefit of insecticide spray programmes cannot be realised. To be fully effective, insect control should therefore be integrated with other crop protection activities. This paper reviews the insect pests, diseases and weed problems of cotton in Africa and discusses the possibilities for extending the principles of IPM to cover all the crop protection activities with practical examples drawn from both small scale and larger scale production systems.     

六十年防治病虫保驾护航 新时代追求卓越再创辉煌

植物保护是保障粮食安全、生态安全与社会安全的关键。中国是一个农业古国与农业大国，其原始农业有着近万年的悠久历史；中国的植物保护有着古代的辉煌、近代的衰落与现代的崛起。新中国成立以来，特别是改革开放以来，中国的植物保护事业取得了辉煌成就，建立健全了高效的植物保护教学、科研与推广体系，消灭了千年的蝗灾，成功地控制了黏虫Mythimna seperata、棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera、水稻螟虫、小麦黑穗病和条锈病等重大农作物病虫害的暴发，保障了我国的粮食安全与农业安全；并在农作物重大病虫害的智能监测、成灾机理及可持续控制原理与防控技术集成等方面取得了一批国际先进水平的成果。2022年是《植物保护学报》创刊60周年，为回顾过去、展望未来而筹划了本辑，由中外147位作者从不同方向综述了植物保护主要领域的研究进展与展望。希望本辑的出版能够促进我国植物保护知识的传播、推动我国植物保护学科的发展，为我国农业可持续发展和实现乡村振兴做出更大的贡献。     

Natural products in plant protection

Natural products can be used to control pests and diseases in crops. These products include anorganic compounds, but also a variety of plant extracts. In the beginning of this century active microbial extracts were discovered as well. Synthetic crop protection chemicals were developed from about 1940 onwards and sustained progress in modern agriculture. The first generation chemicals have aspecific modes of toxic action and are in many instances deleterious to the environment. The second generation chemicals have specific modes of action and meet modern environmental requirements. A disadvantage of these chemicals is the potency of target organisms to acquire resistance. This condition urged agrochemical industry to develop chemicals with new modes of action. Such chemicals can be developed by using natural bioactive products as leads in synthesis programmes.This paper decribes the progress that was made in the development of natural bioactive compounds in pest and disease control.     

Sensorik für einen präzisierten Pflanzenschutz

Precision agriculture is a management concept depending on information technologies related to within-field variability. Site-specific plant production requires the use of technologies, such as global positioning systems, sensors, and information management tools to assess variations in soil, crop canopy and micro-climate. Crop protection is an important production factor, which at present is applied in high-input cropping systems homogeneously in the field despite of site-specific heterogeneity in the incidence and distribution of weeds, pests and pathogens. The spatial and temporal heterogeneity of pests in the field is assessed using remote sensing techniques linked to global positioning systems. The generation and management of information on pest incidence with high spatial resolution and its conversion into precise control systems will enable a targeted and resource-preserving integrated pest management system under high productivity conditions, which is economically successful, environmentally sound and socially acceptable. The recording of disease-related weather data and the assessment of spatial heterogeneity of micro-climate in the field as well as the detection of disease specific symptoms with remote and near range sensors (multispectral and hyperspectral cameras, thermography, chlorophyll fluorescence etc.) have the potential to make crop protection more precise in space and time. Innovative approaches are discussed in detail.     

Removing constraints to sustainable food production: new ways to exploit secondary metabolism from companion planting and GM

The entire process of agricultural and horticultural food production is unsustainable as practiced by current highly intensive industrial systems. Energy consumption is particularly intensive for cultivation, and for fertilizer production and its incorporation into soil. Provision of nitrogen contributes a major source of the greenhouse gas, N₂O. All losses due to pests, diseases and weeds are of food for which the carbon footprint has already been committed and so crop protection becomes an even greater concern. The rapidly increasing global need for food and the aggravation of associated problems by the effects of climate change create a need for new and sustainable crop protection. The overall requirement for sustainability is to remove seasonal inputs, and consequently all crop protection will need to be delivered via the seed or other planting material. Although genetic modification (GM) has transformed the prospects of sustainable crop protection, considerably more development is essential for the realisation of the full potential of GM and thereby consumer acceptability. Secondary plant metabolism offers wider and perhaps more robust new crop protection via GM and can be accomplished without associated yield loss because of the low level of photosynthate diverted for plant defence by secondary metabolism. Toxic mechanisms can continue to be targeted but exploiting non‐toxic regulatory and signalling mechanisms should be the ultimate objective. There are many problems facing these proposals, both technical and social, and these are discussed but it is certainly not possible to stay where we are in terms of sustainability. The evidence for success is mounting and the technical opportunities from secondary plant metabolism are discussed here. © 2019 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

植保无人飞机低空低容量喷雾技术应用与展望

近十年来,我国植保无人飞机迅猛发展,应用的农作物范围越来越广,不仅在水稻、小麦、玉米等主要粮食作物得到了应用,在橡胶、槟榔等高大植株的病虫害防治中更有其独特优势,已经初步形成了我国植保无人飞机低空低容量喷雾的喷头配置、配套药剂、飞防助剂、作业参数等技术体系,对于重要农作物病虫害如稻纵卷叶螟、水稻纹枯病、小麦蚜虫、玉米黏虫等防治效果均在80%以上,在各地病虫害防控中发挥了重要作用。但是,植保无人飞机喷雾作业过程中,还存在炸机或失控、雾滴飘移药害、药液分层结块、防治效果不稳定等问题。通过汇总分析植保无人飞机在重要病虫草害防治工作的成功经验和安全事故,本文提出植保无人飞机低容量喷雾技术将会得到更广泛的应用,植保无人飞机专用药剂和配套助剂、变量施药、多传感器数据融合、多机协同、精准施药、施药标准和规范等都将得到长足的发展,为现代农业和智慧农业发展提供技术支持。