MyIPM

Smartphone Application Series for Pest and Disease Management of Fruits

MyIPM-SED, MyIPM-NED, and MyIPM-SEP provides Integrated Disease and Pest Management (IPM) information for conventional and organic production of strawberries and peaches in the United States. The target audience is commercial growers, farm advisors, and specialists, but homeowners may also find useful information.

The tree apps use virtually the same hard code but the content varies. The welcome screen lets the user update data from the external database. Then the user taps the desired crop which opens up the main page. On the main page the user can choose a disease or pest (for MyIPM–SEP). The apps feature more than a dozen diseases (MyIPM-SED and MyIPM-NED) or pests (MyIPM-SEP). Disease or pest-specific information includes a SUMMARY page and a short, 2 to 3 minute audio from the regional expert on the bottom of the page. The GALLERY features 6 pictures of disease or pest signs and symptoms and pictures illustrating management solutions. The user can zoom in each picture. In the MORE section, the user finds information about the disease or pest and its causal organism (including disease/pest cycle and symptoms and signs), chemical control information, pesticide resistance information, and non-chemical control information (including biological control options, cultural control options, and resistant varieties).

Underneath the feature picture of every disease/pest-specific page the user can choose to list active ingredients and trade names registered in the United States. When tapping active ingredients, the user can choose between materials registered for conventional and organic production. Active ingredients are color coded according to FRAC (Fungicide Resistance Action Committee) or IRAC (Insecticide Resistance Action Committee) code. The efficacy of the active ingredients to control the selected disease/pest is listed as well as the average field environmental impact quotient. The sources of the values are listed in the About MyIPM section. Active ingredients, efficacy and toxicity values are sortable. When tapping an active ingredient, the registered trade names containing this active ingredient are displayed. Back on the main page, tapping trade names for conventional or organic production displays all available trade names for the specific disease including active ingredients, PHI (Preharvest Interval) values, REI (Reentry Interval) values, and EIQ values. Trade names, active ingredients, PHI values, REI values, efficacy and EIQ values are sortable. In order to quickly look up active ingredients and trade names for a specific disease, the user can tap the disease on the top and choose another disease/pest on the drop-down menu.