| Abstract: | The Colorado Potato Beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) is a serious threat in potato‐growing areas in Europe. Control requires a high insecticide input and meanwhile L. decemlineata has developed resistance to all commonly used insecticides. In order to establish an integrated pest management system a temperature‐driven decision support system (SIMLEP DSS) has been elaborated and consists of two modules. SIMLEP 1 is a regional forecasting model for the first occurrence of hibernating beetles and the start of egg laying. SIMLEP 3 is a field–specific model which forecasts the occurrence of the developmental stages of L. decemlineata. From 1999 to 2004 SIMLEP 3 was validated in Germany, Austria, Italy and Poland. In about 90% of cases SIMLEP 3 correctly predicted the periods of maximum egg laying and young larval occurrence, which are the optimal periods for field assessments and treatments with conventional and biological insecticides. SIMLEP 3 is used in practice in Germany and Austria on a large scale and in the western part of Poland. The SIMLEP DSS contributed a lot to the improvement of farmers’L. decemlineata control measures. |
