Decision support software as a medium for technology transfer in plant protection

Orchard 2000 software has been used to deliver weather-based plant disease models to horticultural users. Software for assessing the weather risk of apple black spot (Venturia inaequalis), developed, tested and commercialised over 6 years, gives users direct access to hourly weather data from 40 automatic stations in New Zealand's main horticultural regions. In the 1995-96 season, commercial users numbered 61, with a further 50 growers receiving twice weekly printouts via facsimile. A 1992 survey of 20 trial users indicated that use of the software did not reduce the number of fungicide applications, but typically led to the retiming of four applications. The survey also highlighted a need for knowledge of the persistence of protective fungicide cover. Spray diary software, also now commercialised, provides the first step towards such knowledge. In addition to being a planning and recording tool, the software offers a means of checking proposed spray applications for marketing compliance and mixing compatibility. Weather-based software for fire blight (Erwinia amylovora) and grape botrytis (Botrytis cinerea) are currently under development.