Knowledge-implementation processes in crop protection literature

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how new research on crop protection practices is communicated to end-users by investigating which knowledge-implementation processes are recommended in crop protection literature. Design/methodology/approach This analysis is completed through a qualitative systematic review of literature on knowledge-implementation in crop protection where six knowledge-implementation processes are identified from 65 articles: information and communication technologies (ICT), management models and approaches, education platforms and events, advisory and extension services, networks, and collaborative approaches. We place special emphasis on the gaps and trends around networks and collaborative processes, building on communication theory research. Findings While many articles discussed multiple knowledge-implementation processes, it was found that most of the processes discussed aligned with a transmission communication model and the traditional agricultural knowledge and innovation system. While 11 articles described networks and 22 articles described collaborative processes in line with a constitutive model of communication, these tended to provide limited advice on how these processes could be achieved in practice, identifying a need for further investigation of how multilateral communication can be used to better crop protection practice. Practical Implications These findings can help facilitate better communication between researchers and farmers, promoting processes that include farmers and other actors as sources of knowledge and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of crop protection practices. Theoretical implications This study enhances the understanding of knowledge-implementation in agriculture, emphasizing the need to draw on multiple forms of communication to address the knowledge-to-action gap. Originality/Value There is limited research that examines the knowledge-to-action gap in agriculture, particularly in relation to crop-protection practices. As a review study, this manuscript provides an overview of how this topic is described in the field.