Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The principal activities conducted are: 1. to organize an administrative infrastructure of pecan stakeholders that can plan and oversee the development and delivery of information technology that benefits the pecan industry and the public via the Pecan ipmPIPE Program; 2. to interactively involve pecan stakeholders, including scientists, producers and administrators, in the Program to improve the quality, quantity and timeliness of information transfer that aids stakeholders in meeting their objectives; 3. to provision the Pecan ipmPIPE Program computer server with software, models, map templates/overlays, databases, publications, search engines, and other resources of value to pecan stakeholders; 4. to provide procedures and protocols that allow any authorized stakeholder to directly access the server to input information; 5. to organize the information on the server to meet stakeholders needs with a minimum of time/effort; 6. to provide information relevant to the development and delivery of pecan integrated pest management (IPM) on a public website that educates stakeholders on IPM and facilitates decision making by all producers in near real time. The events have been conducted by the Program Director or Program Leaders in each participating state in the pecan belt, and include presentations and related activities on the Pecan ipmPIPE Program to ten pecan producer organizations spanning NM to FL and north to MO at their meetings; recruiting, training and interacting with individual producers to annually form the Producer Network; conducting demonstrations, field days and individual training as needed in each state. The major product is a well provisioned computer server containing the facts and technology that delivers pecan IPM information, including interactive maps that assess pest risk in real time and pesticide search engines to aid management decisions; the public website http://pecan.ipmpipe.org/ is a belt wide information resource for pecan stakeholders. Administrative infrastructure now includes entomologists, horticulturists, plant pathologists, weed scientists and agricultural economists from land grant schools, USDA, and a private foundation that work with pecan producers to plan and oversee program activities. The Pecan Producer Network is expected to continue to be actively involved in the citizen scientist activities of the program. Surveys conducted during the program at producer meetings and by mail have been analyzed/published (see below) and some are in process. A website tracking system is being utilized to aid assessing the impact of the program. Dissemination of information targets ~20,000 producers, ~100 county agents and ~75 scientists that include pecan in their teaching, research and extension efforts; the public website is available to and being accessed by anyone with internet capability. Pecan researchers also access and use the data bases obtained through the Pecan Producer Network to verify, validate and upgrade models and IPM teachers in TX, MO, AR and LA now use the website to tailor lab exercises to train students in the principles and practices of IPM. A workshop program review was held in July, 2012. PARTICIPANTS: The major participants that contributed to this project were pecan scientists from pecan producing states (Marvin Harris, Program Director; Monte Nesbitt and Henry Fadamiro, AL; Randy Luttrell and Elena Garcia, AR; Russ Mizell, FL; Jim Dutcher, Tim Brenneman and Katy Stephenson, GA; Mike Hall and Dennis Ring, LA; Bill Reid, KS & MO; Phil Mulder and Damon Smith, OK; Charles Rohla, Noble Foundation, OK; Brad Lewis and Jamshid Ashigh, NM; Bill Ree, Allen Knutson and Raul Medina, TX; L.J. Grauke and Ted Cottrell, USDA), information technology specialists (Andrew Birt and Alejandro Calixto, Entomology, TAMU; Neal Lee, Consultant) and ~100 pecan producers participating in the Pecan ipmPIPE Pecan Cooperator Network from pecan growing states, with the support of their respective universities, USDA, pecan producer organization or foundation. Scientist groups participating in the program were the S-1049 project on pecan insects and the National Pecan Scientists (Mike Smith, OK, current organizer). This widespread participation initiated an interdisciplinary, interagency, belt-wide participation of all pecan stakeholders in a novel effort to harness the internet to improve the quality, quantity and timeliness of information development and transfer to benefit the pecan industry and society. TARGET AUDIENCES: The primary target audiences are ~20,000 pecan producers, 100 pecan scientists, 50 college teachers of the principles and practices using IPM, the producer organizations and public institutions that endeavor to develop and use best management practices in the industry and the society at large that benefits from efficiently and responsibly produced food and fiber that is provided at a fair cost with minimum adverse impact on the environment. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: c) Report narrative entered in the box below All objectives in the project have been met. The major modification has been the expansion of the overall project to enhance the context in which each objective was delivered. For example, search engines for pesticides, a searchable library of public pecan literature, a real-time pecan phenology tracking capability, direct input/output of data and results from any authorized stakeholders desktop or mobile device and a news alert section were value added components begun during this project. Research capabilities using databases developed using the producer network and teaching capabilities for IPM were also added informally as the project progressed.
Impacts
The Pecan ipmPIPE Program has fundamentally changed the conditions for information processing, knowledge generation and delivery among pecan stakeholders to benefit the industry and society. The program exploits the capabilities of the internet to gather, organize, analyze and deliver information in near real time for use in pecan production and allows extension, research and teaching to be better integrated with producers to serve the industry. The dedicated computer server for the program is provisioned with the capability to accept input from any authorized stakeholder; this input can be directly uploaded to the public website, or processed using embedded models and then uploaded, and/or archived for later analysis. Pecan scientists provisioned the website: with a Toolbox for pecan management information; Public Maps, including one generated using producer collected real time field data, display risk of pest/pathogen damage in near real time for any location across the pecan belt for use in decision making; Pesticide search engines, for pecan labeled insecticides, fungicides and herbicides, aid producers in finding the materials that best serve their needs and also provide access to product labels and MSDS forms; a searchable Library of brochures, fact sheets, users guides and scientific publications provides stakeholder access to a large volume of IPM and related literature not previously available; and, an Alerts/News website feature allows new and interesting information to be provided quickly to stakeholders. These new conditions have resulted in stakeholders accessing a much wider range of knowledge than before and being empowered to take action from a position of knowledge that was not previously possible. Internet usage as an important source of pecan management information was <25% prior to this program and has increased to >65% as reported by TX and OK producers. Web tracking data show that Return Users of the website primarily resided in the pecan belt and increased from ~1300 in 2009 to ~3300 in 2012 (Sept.) and accessed ~137,000 pages of information. Independent surveys show producers are using information from the website and more are limiting the use of overt pesticide treatments by incorporating risk assessments into their decision making processes. A recent survey provides producer generated economic data that ascribe a value to the website at $2 million annually to the pecan industry at the current level of adoption. Pecan scientists have an increased recognition of this growing audience of stakeholders that have begun to use the internet. These scientists are beginning to specifically develop deliverables for the website, to develop protocols whereby trained cooperators recruited to a network can provide data from the field to aid research, and to include outreach using the website as an objective in grant applications. IPM teachers are using the website to train students using website materials that illustrate the practical application of IPM theory including sampling plans, risk models, economic thresholds, pesticide labels and labeling, pheromones, geographical information systems, etc.
Publications
- Corella-Madueno, Maria A, Marvin K Harris, Agustin A Fu-Castillo, Miguel A Martinez-Tellez, Elisa M Valenzuela-Soto, Juan C Galvez-Ruiz and Irasema Vargas-Arispuro. 2011. Volatiles emitted by Carya illinoinensis (Wang.) K. Koch as a prelude for semiochemical investigations to focus on Acrobasis nuxvorella Nuenzig (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Pest Manag. Sci. 2011 Society of Chemical Industry wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/ps DOI 10.1002/ps.2205.
- Calixto, A., A. Birt, N. Lee, A. Dean, B. Ree and M.K. Harris. 2011. Pecan ipmPIPE: Harnessing the Internet for Stakeholders in Production Agriculture. J. Integ. Pest Mngmt. 2(2): DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/IPM10016.
- Mulder, P.G., M.K. Harris and R.A. Grantham. 2012. Biology and management of the pecan weevil. J. Integ. Pest Mngmt. 3(1): 2012; DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/IPM10027.
- Birt, A.G., A. Calixto, M. Tchakerian, A. Dean, R. N. Coulson and M.K. Harris. 2012. Harnessing Information Technology (IT) for Use in Production Agriculture. J. Integ. Pest Mngmt. 3(1): 2012; DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/IPM11008
- Calixto, A. A., A. Dean, A. Knutson, B. Ree & M. K. Harris. 2012 (In Press). Spiders in pecans in Central Texas. Southwest. Nat. 57: 000-000.
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Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The principal outputs in this project were achieved by involving more scientists and upgrading the public website for Pecan ipmPIPE located on the internet at http://pecan.ipmpipe.org/ There were two new interactive map functions established online: 1) pecan phenology emphasizing the onset of pecan growth in the spring across the pecan belt results in a cooperator generated, manager approved public map that can be used for informational purposes; 2) a pecan scab risk assessment map function on the public site allows risk of scab to be assessed for virtually any location across the pecan belt as a decision aid. The pesticide search engine was upgraded to now include an herbicide function for public use; additionally, papers were added to the Pecan Library to educate users on how to minimize the risk of pesticide resistance when chemicals are used. Pecan literature in the public domain continued to be added to the Pecan Library. An E-Learning slide presentation on stink bug/leaffooted bugs as nut pests and a video detailing principles of pecan nut casebearer management were added to the site. Surveys of pecan producers in TX, OK and AR were conducted to measure program impact and responses are being analyzed. Web tracking information continued to be gathered, archived and used in analyses. The Pecan Producer Network was upgraded by recruiting/training new members and the network contributed to various mapping outputs. Presentations on Pecan ipmPIPE were made to professional and producer organizations at local, state and national meetings. New software was developed to allow public users to self identify themselves and register to allow data input directly on the server at their desktop that is then verified by the website manager prior to uploading to the public map; this streamlines data processing and reduces project costs. The Director cooperated with college teachers at TAMU and Mizzou to develop hands on exercises to be used in teaching IPM based on materials available on the website; researchers also accessed the databases generated on the server to conduct analyses to evaluate, verify and improve the models and related features on the public website. Outreach expanded to include pecan weed scientists, horticulturists, plant pathologists and agricultural economists becoming directly involved in product development and analyses associated with Pecan ipmPIPE, which results in an interdisciplinary effort that interacts directly with pecan producers. Web-tracking data obtained from the website shows all features are being accessed by users. Pecan ipmPIPE now encompasses an online interdisciplinary, interactive program of outreach, research and teaching to serve all stakeholders in the pecan industry. Briefings of the Pecan ipmPIPE Advisory Board, pecan producer organizations, the Pecan ipmPIPE Peer Cooperators (see website), the National Pecan Scientists and others were conducted to inform them of the current status of the Pecan ipmPIPE Program and to continue to engage them in planning and participation in the future of Pecan ipmPIPE. PARTICIPANTS: Marvin Harris (TAMU) is project director and managed all activities in the program including provisioning of the server, design/navigation of the website and coordination of program activities with other scientists, producers and their organizations. He was assisted in this effort at TAMU by A. Calixto, A. Dean, S, Dean, N. Lee, A Birt, L. Calixto, X. Gao and others; this program also involves people and organizations detailed at http://pecan.ipmpipe.org/about.cfm The scientists participating in this program also include those in the Southern Regional Project on Pecan Insects (S-1049), the National Pecan Scientists and others, most notably, Damon Smith, Pecan Plant Pathologist at Oklahoma State University, Jamshid Ashigh, Pecan Weed Scientist at New Mexico State University, Elena Garcia, Pecan Horticulturist at University of Arkansas and L.J. Grauke, Pecan Horticulturist with USDA. Producer involvement occurs in several ways with direct input from the Pecan ipmPIPE Producer Advisory Board (8 members), the Pecan ipmPIPE Producer Cooperator Network (~120 members), and cooperating producer organizations (see website link above). Training and professional development was experienced by graduate students (1 at TAMU and 1 at Ok. State Univ.), post-docs (2 at TAMU) and various faculty that participated in informal demonstrations of the system to aid their teaching (Raul Medina, TAMU and Deborah Finke, Mizzou; this is a partial list) and discussions with other faculty on how our archived data was being used in research. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience for this program are all stakeholders involved in the pecan industry (i.e., producers and scientists) as well as others interested in harnessing the power of the internet for use in communication in agriculture to directly solve production problems, or through research, teaching and/or outreach. There are ~20,ooo pecan farms in the United States (USDA statistics); scientists at ~14 Land Grant Universities in the pecan belt serve the pecan industry to various degrees. The Pecan ipmPIPE Program now provides a direct communication link among these stakeholders using the internet website. The program platform provides for communication among individuals in various ways ranging from direct, real-time loading of information onto the program server by stakeholders followed by immediate display of this information to all users that access the public website, to autonomous individual access of information on the website followed by making specific contacts using conventional routes of communication to clarify any course of action being contemplated. The Pecan ipmPIPE Program server is provisioned with 200+ web pages, a number of which are interactive, that stakeholders can access on the public site to obtain information and decision aids to improve pecan production. The server also provides password protected options whereby stakeholders can upload, view or otherwise work with program elements to improve the quantity, quality and relevance of the website to serve stakeholders; password protected access is compartmentalized and tailored for use by the Pecan ipmPIPE Pecan Producer Network, Pecan ipmPIPE Scientists, and others, on a need to know basis. The public website is provisioned with information on pecan production and IPM designed to improve the quantity and quality of pecan production in a sustainable manner with minimum adverse impact on the environment; and information archived on the server in databases, models, decision aids, etc. is also used by researchers to verify and upgrade models and other program elements and by teachers to teach IPM using real world examples in the classroom. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Online Decision Support Tools (accessible through Pecan IPMPipe)are in modules accessed as a menu command on the Pecan IPMPipe website. Information presented within each module often links to other modules, or to other static information contained within the website. The deliverables accessible on the public site are public domain products designed to be sustained with a minimum of maintenance. The Pecan Nut Casebearer (PNC) Risk Forecast module is a spatially explicit, online tool that displays real-time PNC risk across the Pecan Belt in map form to aid in determining the necessity for pesticide treatments. Users can also make their own forecast using their own data from anywhere in the pecan belt and access the Pecan Nut Casebearer Risk Forecast module tailored to their location to forecast PNC activity and aid decisions. This is an upgrade. The 2011 Pecan Scab Risk module displays a map of US weather stations that provide real-time weather information. Real-time temperature/humidity data are used to forecast the risk of Scab based on the previous 7-days of data. Growers use the map to assess their own risk by inspecting data from the nearest weather station(s) reporting data in their area. Pecan Scab 'make your own risk forecast' module option provides a more detailed 14-day Scab risk forecast; users find their location on a map, and are automatically provided a list of the nearest weather stations with applicable data. After a user provides the date of the last fungicide application to the crop (to determine residual activity), they are provided with a detailed graph showing forecasted Pecan Scab risk. The new Pecan Budbreak module is a map based application for cooperators to enter and update phenology data on multiple trees in their orchard. The results are displayed on a map that provides an overview of the onset of pecan leaf phenology through time. Ultimately the data collected through this module will be used to drive pest forecast models. Research applications: 1)A byproduct of the PNC forecast module is the multi-year collection and organization of the first sustained captures of PNC at 100+ locations across the Pecan belt. These records are the basis for models and ultimately knowledge that can be used to understand the emergence of first generation PNC adults in spring, and contribute to the next generation of pest forecasting models. 2)Data from the Pecan Budbreak module was designed to leverage the existing network of Pecan cooperator scientists in order to efficiently capture data for Pecan tree phenology. Currently we have 1 year of data (from ~40 cooperators, 200 trees and 500 phenology observations). This data will form the basis of models to forecast phenology of different pecan cultivars and pests. The Pecan ipmPIPE team consisting of pecan scientists and information technology specialists working with producers continued to assess how the collective use of their expertise could better harness the internet for the pecan industry. Recruitment of weed scientists, horticulturists and plant pathologists to contribute to the website increases the quality, quantity, and delivery of IPM information to the pecan industry.
Publications
- Birt,A, Deep,A, Calixto,A, Coulson, R.N, Harris, M.K (2009) Harnessing Information Technology (IT) for Use in Production Agriculture of Pecans Illustrated by a Case History of the Pecan Nut Casebearer Decision Window on the Pecan ipmPIPE Interactive Database Platform. Proceedings of the 6th National Meeting of Pecan Scientists.
- Birt, A.G, Calixto, A, Tchakerian, M, Dean, A, Coulson, R.N., Harris, M.K. 2011(in press). Harnessing Information Technology for Production Agriculture. Journal of Integrated Pest Management Issues Section.
- Calixto, A.; Birt, A.; Lee, N.; Dean, A.; Ree, B.; Harris, M. 2011. Pecan ipmPIPE: Harnessing the Internet for Stakeholders in Production Agriculture. Journal of Integrated Pest Management. pp. F1-F6(6)
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Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Summarized progress in establishing Version I of the Pecan ipmPIPE web-site at http://pecan.ipmpipe.org/ and engaged the Peer Cooperators (Cooperating Pecan Scientists) and the Pecan ipmPIPE Producer Advisory Board in the process of upgrading the information by providing more depth in various elements of the Pecan IPM Toolbox, identifying new real-time interactive decision aids to place on the platform through the Pecan IPM Decision Support System (PIDSS) and planning for more producer involvement as well as outreach to include other associated activities like research and teaching where Pecan ipmPIPE can serve as a resource and provide unique leverage in addressing the mission of NIFA and the Land Grant System. This process is ongoing. Established a Pecan IPM PIPE Library Committee that determined guidelines for assembling and providing literature previously inaccessible to producers in a manner that allowed an interactive interface based on author, pest and other searchable criteria. This is coordinated with Peer Cooperators and the Pecan IPM PIPE Producer Advisory Board and coordinated with the National Agricultural Library for search terms and other useful materials. Continued work on upgrades for pecan nut casebearer and initiated upgrades for pecan pathogen related components to be provisioned, including recruitment of a new collaborator to aid coordination of pathology activities. Director met with the Southeastern Pecan Growers in Sandestin, FL at their annual meeting and provided an invited update on Pecan ipmPIPE. Began planning for a PIPE symposium for presentation at the Dec. 2010 Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America in San Diego, CA. Met with Mexican Pecan Growers and collaborating scientists in Hermosillo, Sonora (supported by CONACYT Grant) and included a Pecan ipmPIPE presentation and a program review with Information Technology counterparts in MX that have adapted some of our Pecan PIPE program to meet their needs. Met with S-1017 pecan entomologist collaborators in Las Cruces, NM and reviewed Pecan ipmPIPE program progress and planned for more upgrades. Director also met with Dr. Garcia and her new team to discuss protocols and finalize her PIPE program in AR and with NNGA Producer Advisory Board members and Scientist Cooperator (Ken Hunt) in MO. Real-time delivery of the PNC Decision Window was conducted for the 2010 season. Updated News Alerts, reviewed Pecan Fungicide Search Engine application with pecan plant pathologists and then pecan scientists and Pecan Producer Advisory Board and obtained recommendation and support for launching on public site in Fall 2010. Continued work on provisioning the server for pecan scab prediction testing, etc. and Harris met with Damon Smith at OK State to facilitate continued progress on this objective. Harris also met with Prof. Debbie Finke of Univ. of MO to plan for using features of Pecan IPM PIPE in teaching IPM in the graduate classroom using "hands-on" exercises. PARTICIPANTS: This work was conducted as part of a larger Pecan ipmPIPE project that relied on Peer Cooperators*: *Brad Lewis - Department of Plant Pathology and weed Science, New Mexico State University; *Dr. Phil Mulder - Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University;*Dr. Bill Reid - Department of Entomology, Kansas State University; *Dr. Mike Hall - Pecan Research /Extension Station, Louisiana State University; *Dr. Elena Garcia - Department of Horticulture, University of Arkansas; *Dr. Jim Dutcher - Department of Entomology, University of Georgia; *Dr. Russ Mizell - University of Florida; and *Dr. Henri Fadamiro, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University; and, Dr. Damon Smith (Plant Pathologist) Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, also joined the program as a collaborator during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: The audience for this program consists of pecan stakeholders (Extension, research, teachers, pecan producers, pecan advisors, pecan producer organizations, other agencies with pecan responsibilities, etc.). The management information in the Pecan IPM Toolbox and in the real-time risk assessments provided on the Pecan ipmPIPE web-site are designed to improve knowledge and result in better pecan management programs as well as to create a platform and provide a stakeholder audience that professionals will use to develop and provide deliverables specifically tailored to this web-site. Numerous examples are provided in the earlier portion of this report and some progress in affecting producer behavior is documented in the producer use of the internet publication. Presentations (available on request as briefing papers and PowerPoints, etc.) were also made during the period to all audiences in various venues to encourage accessing and using this resource. A Users Guide detailing how to navigate the Pecan ipmPIPE site was also developed and posted in the web-site for stakeholder reference, which provides a quick assessment of the resources now available on-line for stakeholder access. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Published results of the Texas Pecan Growers Association Computer Use Survey (Nov. 2009)conducted at the July 2009 Annual Meeting in Pecan South showing 66% of Texas pecan producer attendees were using the internet to obtain management information and that ~90% intended to do so by the 2011 growing season. This was a significant increase from the 22% reporting such use in 2005. Pecan ipmPIPE paper presented by A. Calixto et al at Southwestern Branch of Entomological Society of America Meetings in Cancun, MX. Phil Mulder presented Pecan ipmPIPE paper at OK Pecan Grower Association Meetings and distributed brochures and conducted a survey of attendees to determine their management practices and internet usage.Texas Pecan Growers Association Annual Meetings, talk and poster on Pecan ipmPIPE project in San Marcos, TX; Brochures and Users Guides distributed to attendees via Bill Ree's Pecan IPM Extension Booth; internet survey conducted with attendees at the IPM presentations. Launched the Pecan Insecticide Search Engine in Jan. 2010 that allows any insecticide currently labeled for belt-wide use to be located by manufacturer, pest, chemical name, organic program compatibility, etc. A link to the Material Safety Data Sheets and the Label is also provided for ease of access to this information for each product. The initial Pecan ipmPIPE on-line interactive Library was launched in Mar. 2010 and continues to be upgraded. The new Southern Regional Project on Pecan Insects also includes a specific objective to develop and contribute deliverables that are specifically designed for the internet that will include delivery on Pecan ipmPIPE. The Make Your Own Forecast PNC application was completed and launched on Pecan ipmPIPE for 2010 season, which allows any stakeholder with their own pheromone traps or other means to detect the onset of the overwintering generation moth flight of pecan nut casebearer (PNC) to generate a Decision Window to assess their own risk of PNC tailored to their own orchard. This feature operates entirely from real-time input provided by the user that then accesses databases already provisioned in PIDSS on the server. This new upgrade has the potential to substitute for the Real-Time PNC Decision Window Map, which is centrally constructed by obtaining real-time PNC flight information from the producer network and inspection by an expert to set biofixes that appear as flags on the Decision Window Map on the public site. The latter requires resources that provide for data processing, verification and uploading, whereas the former operates without these additional maintenance costs. Assessment is planned to evaluate costs/benefits of maintaining the current publically generated map given this new option. Report on Assessing and Avoiding Risk of Pecan Fungicide Resistance by Pecan Scab was adapted and placed on the Pecan ipmPIPE web-site for stakeholder use in July 2010. Upgrades and updates routinely provided to http://pecan.ipmpipe.org/ for access by stakeholders and tracking information routinely collected for later analysis and publication.
Publications
- Marvin Harris, Allen Knutson and Bill Ree. 2009 (Nov.). Pecan ipmPIPE: pecan producers provide feedback. Pecan South 42(9): 23-33.
- Alejandro Calixto and Marvin Harris (ln conjunction with CO-PI's also participating in the program). 2010. A PECAN IPMPIPE USERS GUIDE AND REPORT ON HTTP//PECAN.IPMPIPE.ORG/ FOR SEPGA. 2010 Proceedings Southeastern Pecan Growers Association Pages 79-86.
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