Disease Management

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Managing Botrytis Risk: What You Need to Know

What is Botrytis?
Botrytis, also known as grey mold, is a fungal disease that loves cool, damp environments. High humidity and poor air circulation create the perfect conditions for it to thrive, especially in fruits and flowers. Botrytis can damage both yield and quality, which makes it important to keep an eye on the conditions that trigger it. That’s where the Botrytis Risk Index comes in, helping you stay ahead of the problem by predicting when the disease is most likely to hit.

In collaboration with Berryworld and Strawberry Growers New Zealand (SGNZ), we conducted a recent trial to refine our Botrytis Model. This rigorous research not only enhances our understanding of the disease but also underscores the effectiveness of our technology in real-world conditions.

For a deeper insight into our innovative approach and findings from this trial, we invite you to explore an enlightening article authored by a dedicated plant scientist. This resource provides a comprehensive overview of our technology and the research that went into perfecting it. Discover this invaluable information at this link and empower yourself with the knowledge to combat Botrytis effectively.
How is it Measured?
The Botrytis Risk Index looks at key factors like leaf wetness, humidity, and temperature—exactly the conditions that Botrytis thrives in. Using the Florida Strawberry Advisory System (FLSAS) model, we combine historical data with real-time measurements from sensors in the field. These sensors track how wet your leaves are and monitor humidity around your crops. The index takes all this data and turns it into a risk score, giving you a heads-up on potential infections. When you know what’s coming, you can act fast, whether that means improving air circulation or applying fungicides.
How Can the Data Help You Make Decisions?
The Botrytis Risk Index breaks down into three simple risk categories:

Low Risk (0.5 and below): No need to worry—you can stick with your regular routine.
Intermediate Risk (0.5 to 0.7): Time to start paying closer attention. Monitor conditions carefully and watch for any changes.
High Risk (above 0.7): This is where you need to take immediate action. Whether it’s boosting airflow, lowering humidity, or applying fungicides, acting quickly can save your crop.

With this data-driven approach, you’re not guessing—you’re making informed decisions to protect your crops, reduce losses, and ensure better yields.
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Managing Powdery Mildew Risk with Disease Risk Indexes

What is Powdery Mildew?
Powdery mildew is a fungal disease caused by species like Erysiphe and Sphaerotheca. It thrives in warm, dry conditions with high humidity, often affecting crops such as strawberries. Powdery mildew can greatly reduce crop quality and yield, making it essential for growers to monitor environmental conditions and take timely actions to prevent outbreaks.
How is it Measured?
The Powdery Mildew Risk Index is based on the modified Gubler-Thomas model, which assesses the likelihood of infection in strawberries. This model uses real-time data from weather stations to track temperature-driven fungal growth, focusing on days when temperatures range between 15-25°C combined with high humidity. A risk index above 60 suggests that growers should apply fungicides to prevent outbreaks. This data-driven approach, tested in Santa Maria, CA, allows growers to reduce fungicide applications while maintaining disease control and healthy yields.
How the Data Can Be Used to Make Decisions:
Leaf wetness sensor data helps growers implement disease management strategies. When the index is low (40 and below), routine practices can continue without concern. At moderate risk (40-60), increased monitoring is advised. For high risk (60 and above), immediate action, such as applying preventative fungicides or choosing resistant varieties, is critical to safeguard crops and maintain plant health.
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Managing Fruit Rot Risk: How to Stay Ahead

What is Anthracnose Fruit Rot?
Fruit rot, often caused by fungi like Colletotrichum acutatum, can seriously threaten your crops, especially when the weather stays wet for too long. The good news is, you don’t have to wait for problems to happen. Understanding what triggers fruit rot can help you stay ahead. That’s where the Fruit Rot Risk Index comes in—it helps you spot the perfect conditions for fruit rot to develop, so you can stop it before it spreads.

To learn more about our innovative approach, we have an insightful article authored by a plant scientist who conducted research on our Fruit Rot Disease Risk Model. This research provides an in-depth look at our technology and its applications in preventing fruit rot. You can find this valuable resource at this link for more information.
How Do You Measure the Risk?
The Fruit Rot Risk Index looks at key factors like humidity, temperature swings, and how long your crops stay wet. Using data from weather stations and leaf wetness sensors, it gives you a real-time picture of how risky conditions are for fruit rot. This index, based on the Florida Strawberry Advisory System and validated in North Carolina, takes the guesswork out of managing rot risk. You’ll know exactly when to adjust your practices to keep your crops safe.
How to Use the Data to Make Smarter Decisions:
The Fruit Rot Risk Index helps you figure out what to do next based on risk levels:

Low Risk (below 0.15): If the risk is low, you can keep doing what you’re doing—no need to change anything.
Intermediate Risk (0.15 to 0.50): When the risk falls into this range, it’s time to start paying closer attention. Keep an eye on the weather and your crops to see if conditions get worse.
High Risk (above 0.50): If the risk shoots up, it’s time to act fast. You might need to tweak your irrigation schedule to avoid excess moisture, apply fungicides, or improve field drainage to keep rot at bay.

This approach helps you manage fruit rot before it affects your yield, giving you healthier crops and better results at harvest time.
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What Sensors Do You Need?

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Leaf Wetness Sensors
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Air Temperature and Humidity Sensors
What's Included in Your Subscription:
Start with our basic package at just $8.99 per sensor/connection. For added support, you can customize your subscription with optional add-ons.:

  • Sensor Repair and Replacement Service (Intermediate plan): Our proactive monitoring ensures that any faulty sensors are quickly repaired or replaced. With our Sensor Repair and Replacement add-on, your sensors are insured, guaranteeing optimal performance and high uptime. If any issues arise, we’ll handle repairs or replacements promptly, ensuring a continuous flow of critical data for effective crop management.
  • Training and Support (Advanced Plan): Receive comprehensive training and ongoing assistance, including 1-on-1 personalized weekly meetings. This support helps you understand and effectively use data, adopt better data practices overall, and maximize the value of our system, empowering you to make informed decisions for your crops.