Decision support systems.

Abstract

AbstractThe term 'Decision Support System' (DSS) has been used rather loosely to include a number of different methods of improving pest management and decision making over control measures. In this chapter, DSS is taken to mean one or more models, databases, rules, or piece of information that together support the decision-making process for control of aphids causing direct feeding damage or vectoring damaging viruses. The DSS does this by providing information to users in a form that does not require specialist knowledge of the underlying science or computer program. Some examples are given of DSSs developed to improved aphid control and management in crops in different countries. Case studies are presented involving two DSSs illustrating contrasting approaches to assist farmers and advisers in making decisions about the need for and timing of insecticides to prevent aphids from spreading Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) in cereal crops. The first, developed in New Zealand, uses the historical relationship between suction trap catches of cereal aphids in autumn/winter and BYDV incidence in the following summer to infer likely BYDV risk in two winter cereal-growing regions. The second, developed in Western Australia, is based on a computer simulation model. This uses climate data, especially summer/autumn rainfall before the start of the growing season, to forecast arrival and build-up of aphids within the winter cereal crops, subsequent spread of BYDV, and potential yield losses in the 'grainbelt' region of Western Australia.