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This project
entitled "Web-based decision support system for late
blight disease of Potato" is funded by Department of
Science and Technology, Govt. of India for 3 years
(July 2008- July 2011). The main objective of this
project is to develop a decision support system for
late blight disease of potato based on weather
parameters. Its main objective is to develop a simple
computer - based forecasting model and put it on the
web for easy access to the potato farmers. Based on
duration of relative humidity (RH) at a range of
temperature, a forecasting model has been developed
that ultimately gives out likely late blight situation
in terms of disease severity values based on RH and
temperature during the past week.
Under this project, two automatic weather stations
have been installed in potato growing areas of
Hoshiarpur and Nawan Shahar. In addition, four
automatic weather stations with the help from National
Horticulture Mission have been installed in other
potato growing districts of Jalandhar, Kapurthala,
Ropar and Bathinda. Hourly data of temperature, RH,
leaf wetness and rainfall from these weather stations
is obtained and downloaded on to a computer at PAU,
Ludhiana on daily basis. Based on weather information
prevelent in a particular district, likely disease
severity is calculated. Accordingly, the farmers will
be issued advisories whether or not to initiate
fungicide applications. This will prove very effective
in timely management of late blight and in economizing
fungicide applications.
Calculation of Disease Severity Values
The risk evaluation model based on duration of Relative Humidity of >90% at a range of temperatures is used to calculate
disease severity values.
The model uses means of previous
week's Relative Humidity and Temperature. Disease Severity
Value (DSV) is calculated for each of the Potato growing
districts where Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) have been
installed to provide region specific advice to the farmers
for initiating fungicides application
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