Early Warning System for Apple Pest Management in Canada1

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Abstract
Since 1973, research has been carried out in eastern Canada to develop early pest warning systems for apple pest management programs. The development and standardization of effective monitoring techniques and biometeorological indices has permitted precise forecasting of critical events in the life cycle of the major pests. The formation of a computerized network which links, by Telex and Code‐a‐Phone, all the major apple growing regions in Ontario has permitted the implementation of the early warning system. Our system is based on a mini‐computer. Twice a week biological and weather information, from the different growing regions, is received at our computer center. Computer programs are executed and early warnings are returned on the same day. In this way apple growers are being advised in real‐time of the optimal dates for pesticide applications. As a result, most apple growers in Ontario have reduced pesticide applications by 40 to 50 %.Depuis 1973, des travaux de recherche se poursuivent dans les stations federales de I'est du Canada afin de mettre en place un systeme de previsions phytosanitaires. Grice a I'etablissement de modeles biometeorologiques ainsi qu'a de nouvelles methodes de piegeage, il est maintenant possible de predire avec precision les stades critiques du developpement des principaux ravageurs. L'ordinateur est a la base de notre systeme de prevision. Deux fois par semaine I'information biologique et meteorologique provenant des regions pommiferes converge par telex au centre des donnees. De cette faqon il est possible d'aviser les pomiculteurs, d'une region donnee, des dates de traitements les plus favorables au succes de la lutte dirigee.