Aphid Advisor vs MyIPM Row Crops

Aphid Advisor is a decision-making tool to help determine whether an action is warranted for control of soybean aphids (Aphis glycines) on soybeans. This app uses both aphid and natural enemy numbers, as well as expected population growth rates, to indicate whether there are enough natural enemies to keep aphid populations in check or if an insecticide application may be needed. The accuracy of output generated by this app depends on the accuracy of the data submitted by users. Aphid Advisor takes no responsibility for the accuracy of these results. There are other tools and sources of information to consider before deciding what pest management action to take. Aphid Advisor was developed by Rebecca Hallett (UofG), Christie Bahlai (UofG; current institution Kent State University) and Tracey Baute (OMAFRA). Funding for development of this app has been provided by the Agri-Food and Rural Link, a component of the OMAFRA – U of G Partnership and the Growing Forward 2, a federal, provincial and territorial initiative. This app is based on the scientific literature and on research conducted at the School of Environmental Sciences and Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada’s Pesticide Risk Reduction Program, the Grain Farmers of Ontario, and the OMAFRA-University of Guelph Sustainable Production Program. Photos used by arrangement: ©T. Baute, OMAFRA: Aphid-infested leaves, ladybeetle adult, lady beetle larva, syrphid larva; ©D. Cheung: Aphelinus mummy close up, Orius adult, Orius nymph, lacewing adult, lacewing larva, Aphidoletes larva; ©Y. Xue: Aphelinus mummies. Used with permission from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach from the publication Soybean Growth and Development, PM 1945. Original publication date: 2004.

MyIPM Crops provides Integrated Pest Management (IPM) information for conventional and organic production of important crops. The target audience is commercial growers (conventional and organic), farm advisors, and specialists, but homeowners may also find useful information. The home screen lets the user choose the fruit and discipline (pest or disease) and lets the user update data from the external database. The user can go back to this screen at any time and add or delete a selection. On top of this screen is a search bar that lets the user search active ingredients and trade names. Results will list the crop the product is registered for, the rate per acre and the efficacy rating. Then the user chooses one of the crop and discipline choices. The user taps a crop which opens up the disease or pest page. On any disease page the user can choose a disease by clicking the picture or choosing Overview/Gallery/More to learn more about it. Disease-specific information includes an overview about the disease and its management and a short, 2 to 3 min audio from the regional expert on the bottom of the page. The GALLERY features 6 pictures of disease signs and symptoms and pictures illustrating management solutions. The user can zoom in each picture. In the MORE section, the user finds information about the disease and its causal organism (including disease cycle and symptoms and signs), chemical control information, fungicide resistance information, and non-chemical control information (including biological control options, cultural control options, and resistant varieties). The same features can be pulled up for any pest. Underneath the feature picture of every disease-specific page the user can choose to list active ingredients and trade names registered in the United States. When tapping active ingredients, the user can choose between materials registered for conventional and organic production. Active ingredients are color coded according to FRAC (Fungicide Resistance Action Committee) code. The efficacy of the active ingredients to control the selected disease is listed as well as a risk assessment of that chemical as published by FRAC. Active ingredients, efficacy and risk assessments are sortable. When tapping an active ingredient, the registered trade names containing this active ingredient are displayed. Back on the disease page, tapping trade names for conventional or organic production displays many available trade names for the specific disease including active ingredients, efficacy rating, PHI (Preharvest Interval) values, REI (Reentry Interval) values, and toxicity risk ratings (low, medium, high in colors beige, yellow, red). Trade names, active ingredients, PHI values, REI values, efficacy and toxicity ratings are sortable. In order to quickly look up active ingredients and trade names for a specific disease, the user can tap the disease on the top and choose another disease on the drop-down menu. Back on the disease page, the user can choose to listen to more audio recordings by tapping the headset symbol in the top right. The audios are from southeastern specialists and deal with pest and disease management. A really useful feature is the select button on the top right. It lets the user move seamlessly from one disease to another on whatever page is displayed at the moment.