Warning systems are an essential component for optimal integrated crop protection. In outdoor vegetable cultivation, we have been using warning systems for various pests and diseases for over 20 years. Observations are made by the applied research centres on several fields per crop and per region. During the season, these fields are monitored weekly. Based on the monitoring data, climate data and defined damage thresholds, warning bulletins are compiled for cabbage crops, leeks, carrots and chicory.

In the context of increasingly stringent restrictions on the use of pesticides, an upgrade and extension of the current warning systems is necessary. The new crop protection products on the market also require greater knowledge and more information about the pest, disease and crop status on the field. By exploiting new technologies and introducing more digitalisation, we can make alerts for growers more reliable, more widely applicable and more interactive.

In this project, we focus on improving the warning systems for four target pests: the chicory leafminer, carrot fly, cabbage fly and thrips. The aim is to automate the monitoring systems used where necessary and extend them with a community of observers. Furthermore, we want to optimise and/or better integrate prediction models into data analysis. Besides an improved data management system, we also aim to make warning messages more performant and more accessible to Flemish vegetable growers.