Description

Abstract: Integrated pest management (IPM) is an essential part of any successful peanut program. Often, the

interactions between multiple pest species and crop/pest management strategies are complex. Growers and

their advisors may have a difficult time weighing the positive and negative impacts of different strategies.

Scientists have developed a comprehensive decision support system to help peanut growers and their advisors assess their risk of developing pest problems. The online pre-season planning aid (http://www.peanut.ncsu.edu/risk/) is free, and available to the public. The program incorporates information

from a yearly extension publication (North Carolina Peanut Information), as well as data from individual

scientists. Previously validated risk indices for tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and southern corn

rootworm (SCR) were used as a framework for the program. Risk indices for other pests important in the VC

region were created using data from individual scientists. Users provide information outlining basic

agronomic inputs including cultivar, field history, presence or absence of irrigation, planting date, rotation

crops grown in that field for the past 1, 2, 3 and/or 4 years, soil pH, soil drainage and texture, in-furrow

insecticides, nematicides, tillage, disease management, plant population, and planting pattern. A risk score

for each pest is calculated using data stored in an Access database. Seven diseases are assessed in the

decision aid: Cylindrocladium black rot (CBR), early leaf spot, late leaf spot, Sclerotinia blight, southern stem

rot, TSWV, and web blotch. The decision aid also includes two arthropods (SCR and twospotted spider mite) and three nematodes (northern root knot, peanut root knot, and sting). As a user enters information

into the program, a color-coded risk line is displayed for each individual pest. As a user changes the

scenario, the risk line for each pest may shift from one risk category into another: high risk (red), medium

risk (yellow) or low risk (green) category. Based upon the values associated with the specified combination

of cultural, chemical and management strategies, risks for some pests may go up as risks for others decrease. Reports are available which summarize the risk index calculations for each pest species. Future

developments for the program include the inclusion of disease and insect identification pages, as well as the

addition of economic values associated with management strategies. Validation of the scoring system and

risk is also needed.