EPPO Bulletin (2000) 30, 31-35

E. Jörg (2000)
Structure and organization of warning services in Rheinland-Pfalz (Germany)
EPPO Bulletin 30 (1), 31-35
Abstract: Rheinland-Pfalz, a federal state in the south-western part of Germany, is an agricultural region with high crop diversity. For each branch of agriculture (arable, fruits, vegetables and ornamental plants), specific warning and information services have been installed. Advisory work, including warning services, is done by a central (LPP) and eight regional state institutions (SLVAs). LPP provides the infrastructure for information dissemination, organizes data acquisition and supplies the farmers with general information on crop protection (availability of plant protection products, control strategies, etc.). SLVAs collect data on current pest development and elaborate regional recommendations on field assessments and control measures to be taken by the farmers. Warning service information is transmitted to the farmers by info post (periodic letters), telephone-answering machines, fax services and, lately, via the Internet. Farmers are mainly interested in current disease and pest severity data, preferably on a local basis, to aid their decision-making in crop protection. The forecasting models and computer-aided decision-support systems run by the state crop protection service have become essential tools during the last four years. Their results, supplemented by field-monitoring data, serve as the main input for the warning services. The Internet, in conjunction with computerized decision-support systems, provides the means of ensuring an adequate supply of warning service information at a time when crop protection services are undergoing severe staff reductions.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
surveys/sampling/distribution
thresholds/decision-support systems

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Leptinotarsa decemlineata	Potato (Solanum tuberosum)	Germany
	Phytophthora infestans	Potato (Solanum tuberosum)	Germany
	Blumeria graminis	Wheat (Triticum)	Germany
	Oculimacula yallundae	Wheat (Triticum)	Germany
	Cercospora beticola	Beet/sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris)	Germany
	Oculimacula acuformis	Wheat (Triticum)	Germany