| For 2020 and newer grants, please go to https://grants.ipmcenters.org/ |
|---|
|
|
| Home Current RFAs PD User Guide Projects Login |
|
Funded Project |
|
Funding Program:
Regional IPM Competitive Grants - Northeastern |
|
Project Title:
Handheld Mobile Application Technology for Pest Identification and Scouting in Christmas Tree and Conifer Nursery Production |
Project Director (PD):
|
|
Lead State: Lead Organization: Cornell University |
| Undesignated Funding: $49,941 |
|
Start Date: Oct-01-2012 End Date: Sep-30-2015 |
|
No-Cost Extension Date: Sep-30-2016 |
|
Summary:
This project is an extension project. Pest identification and scouting are the backbone of good integrated pest management. Many conifer nursery and Christmas tree producers scout their crops, but availability of pest identification information, and tools for record keeping to measure the effects of control methods would help them reduce unnecessary pesticide applications. Providing these tools in a device they are already carrying into their fields, their phones, would encourage the use of pest id and scouting. In this project, we will create and demonstrate an application for mobile hand-held devices to assist growers in identification of insect, disease and weed pests of conifers, and in compiling and recording scouting data. Growers will participate in the development of the application as an advisory committee, evaluating the application on their farms. The application is designed to be useful for conifer producers throughout the NE region and participation by all states will be encouraged through training events held in conjunction with state Christmas tree and nursery organizations' education sessions. The project will evaluate the level of adoption of the application, increase in adoption of IPM, and the potential for use of the application to result in better pest management and economic benefits, through surveys at training events and after growers have had a chance to trial it, in order to measure knowledge and action impacts. Additional media outreach will extend the information to a national audience. The overall goal of the project is to reduce unnecessary pesticide applications, with the concurrent reduction in human health and environmental risks.
Objectives:
|
|
Interim Report: May-21-2015 |
|
Outcomes Objective 1. The format and structure of the IPM and scouting application for conifers is based on that of the Greenhouse Scout app developed by NYS IPM with GORGES, Ithaca. The application is designed to provide: a. native applications written directly for the 2 major smartphone platforms iPhone, and Android b. text and photograph capability c. a content management system for ease of updating, with messages to users when content is updates d. automatic syncing when a wi-fi connection is established e. the potential for interactive use 1. data entry with graphing potential 3. data storage 5. potential for printing reports as well as viewing on the device f. use of QR (quick response) codes to simplify location identification for scouting An overview of the Greenhouse Scout application is included in Appendix 1 to demonstrate in general how the Conifer Scout will operate. Unfortunately, the development of the Greenhouse Scout ran into several delays because of changes in staffing at GORGES and software/programs used to run the application. As of September 30, 2014, the staff is in place, most of the information has been uploaded to the app, and a completed app is expected soon. In the meantime, we have been compiling the information that will be included in the app as soon as it possible. A list of the information to be included in the Conifer Scout app is in Appendix 2. Another positive step that comes from the previous app is working with the Cornell intellectual property office for a workable method of providing continuing maintenance and support of the app. Objective 2. We will use a focus group of growers during the app development to ensure that our planned application is of value to them. Also as part of creating the previous app, we learned about how to engage growers and others in evaluating the beta version of the app. It is not easy, or perhaps possible, to provide unpublished versions to others so we have had to either take a beta version on one of our smart devices out to growers to evaluate, or create screenshot Powerpoints to demonstrate the app. GORGES purchased a domain name Pocket IPM to house the various IPM apps created. This will help with advertising the app once it is complete. |
|
Impacts Because of the delay in creating the mobile app, there are no measured impacts to date. |
| Report Appendices |
|
Final Report: |
|
Impacts This information requires the app to be complete. |
|
Outcomes The mobile scouting app takes existing information and provides it to growers in a different way. Once we have the app ready to demonstrate we will be in a position to measure impact. We will include baseline grower surveys on app and smart device use and evaluations as part of the demonstrations. |
| Report Appendices |
| Close Window |
|
Northeastern IPM Center 340 Tower Road Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853 NortheastIPM.org |
 |
Developed by the Center for IPM © Copyright CIPM 2004-2026 |
|