Wisconsin: Vegetable Growers Use WISDOM to Manage Pests

WISDOM, the culmination of long term cooperation between Wisconsin vegetable growers, University of Wisconsin researchers and the University of Wisconsin Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program, is decision-oriented software.

WISDOM helps growers manage vegetable crop pests using field scouting data and environmental crop conditions. Version 1.20, released in May 1996, includes modules to manage white mold and calculate maturity of snap beans, an important rotational crop in Wisconsin's vegetable industry.

Estimated pesticide and irrigation savings from WISDOM use on potatoes is approximately $75/acre. This was achieved by:

• eliminating two fungicide applications ($20/acre savings)
• reducing the rate of remaining fungicide applications ($7.50/acre savings)
• reducing pre-emergence applications and one post-emergence herbicide application ($23/acre savings)
• eliminating one systemic insecticide application at planting and two to three additional foliar applications ($20/acre savings)
• reducing irrigation costs ($4.50/acre savings) WISDOM includes numerous electronic pest profiles with important pest information including:
• environmental factors influencing pest development
• a written description and high resolution electronic photograph of the pest's life stages and damage symptoms
• economic importance and thresholds
• Non-chemical and chemical control recommendations
• host range
• scouting procedures

WISDOM influences 90 percent of Wisconsin's potato crop which is estimated to have a $670 million impact on the state's economy. Despite its success, development is far from complete. New modules are being considered for other vegetable rotation crops. These will include data management systems for GPS/GIS technology and new pest management modules for field crops.