A reliable, cheap weather station as a predictor for improved disease and pest control

Abstract

A reliable, cheap weather station as a predictor for improved disease and pest control

Summary

In a past research project (DAS 9), DMODEL, a simulator of downy mildew, was developed to provide advice of when rain events favour and do not favour disease. After 20 years of developmental research with collaborators interstate and overseas, the scene was set for Australian grapegrowers to know when a spray was needed to control downy mildew and importantly, in our dry climate, when not to spray. This effort reached a culmination in the expansion of the DMODEL simulator into Ausvit – a decision support system for grape growers. However, AusVit relies on access to accurate vineyard weather data to make predictions of disease events and to provide management advice. When the present project began, automatic weather stations (AWS) were commercially available but at high cost ($4-6,000 or more). Many growers considered this prohibitive. Consequently, there was a danger that useful decision-support information from AusVit would not be used by the average grapegrower.

The objective of this project was to develop a simple to use, low cost, reliable weather station for grapegrowers. If possible, it was also intended to incorporate some level of ‘intelligence’ to allow in-field prediction of downy mildew events (and other diseases and pests). Such a device could be widely used either in conjunction with AusVit™, or separately, to improve the control of downy mildew and reduce chemical use in Australian viticulture.