DISEASE AND INSECT MANAGEMENT OF HORTICULTURAL CROPS

This project contains broad objectives that exceed the funding and support provided by Hatch. In this respect, this proposal should be viewed as the scaffold upon which the PIs can build a successful extramurally funded research program. As a result of their combined efforts, there will be significant progress in the overall objective of developing improved diagnostic tools and more sustainable integrated pest management of horticultural crops.The goal of this proposal is to provide growers with expert information on plant problem diagnosis and management (conducted with Cliff Sadof). To accomplish this goal, we will:Perform surveys with stakeholders while also performing data analytics on apps to assess how users apply information and determine integrated pest management (IPM) decisions.To expand the app platform into one useful for professional pest managers in the greenhouse, nursery and landscape online.Implement and evaluate IPM practices that rely on multiple tactics including biological, cultural and chemical control of key pests in Indiana.Evaluate and improve the cost-benefit analyses when IPM is adopted.Almost all Americans (96%) own some type of cellphone device, and smart phone use exceeds 80% (Pew Research, 2019). We have harnessed this technology and developed a series of apps for homeowners, including the Purdue Shrub Doctor app in 2020 (www.purdueplantdoctor.com) and applied user-sanctioned mobile analytics (owner voluntarily opt in or out). Mobile analytics is a field of study that seeks to understand user behavior by evaluating how a user interfaces with an app, from the point of app acquisition, app use, app retention and inactivity to determine why some users convert to IPM practices and others do not (funnel analysis).The penultimate goal of this project is to improve the diagnostic and management of plant pests for everyone, and expand this information to professional pest managers in the greenhouse, nursery and landscape, with the appropriate pesticides available to licensed professionals.