The Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology continued its Fall Seminar Series with a fantastic seminar from Jose Gonzalez-Acuna, a Plant Pathology PhD Student. Approximately forty faculty, staff, students, and guests attended the seminar on December 2nd to learn about managing apple and soybean diseases using environmentally based decision support systems compared to more traditional methods.
Gonzalez presented insights into the application of pesticides on apples and soybeans, utilizing decision support systems and predictive modeling. This reduces the amount of pesticide used and “makes us better stewards of these tools,” according to Gonzalez. The real-world importance is already evident today, as Gonzalez’s contributions give hope that a single decision support system and predictive modeling can help reduce pesticide use and, therefore, decrease the risk of pesticide overuse and resistance. He recommends using weather data to determine when to spray, rather than relying on calendar spraying.
Audience members enjoyed Gonzalez’s seminar and recognised the importance of environmental based decision support systems. Agricultural specialist, Stith Wiggs, commented on how weather can impact disease risk: “High relative humidity really increases the risk of disease,” which is why calendar spraying should not be used. Graduate student, Mayowa Aderoju, emphasized the contributions this research highlights, “ they have already been integrated into the Crop Risk Tool that is being used by soybean farmers across the United States.”
The PPEM Fall Seminar Series will welcome Dr. Adam Steinbrenner from the University of Washington’s Department of Biology on December 9th to present on “Caterpillar Versus Plant: Molecular specificity in herbivory-induced defenses.”