This was presented to Pennsylvania Tree Fruit growers in the summer of 2009. It is a brief overview of our research on developing sensor networks for tree fruit orchards

1. Growers Field Day
22 July 2009
Penn State Fruit Research & Extension Center
Biglerville, PA
The Technology Collaborative Project:
Sensor Networks for
Disease Management in Specialty Crops
George Kantor James W. Travis Joe Russo
Noemi O. Halbrendt Jeremy Zidek

2. Sensor Networks for Disease Management in Specialty Crops
Biglerville, PA Experimental Site
Collaboration of CMU, PSU and ZedX with funding by The Technology Collaborative, Pittsburgh, PA

3. Sensor Networks for Disease Management in Specialty Crops
May 22, 2008 Apple Scab Case Study – 1.0 m x 1.0 m Grid
Tempeature (110 cm) Apple Scab Severity (%) (110 cm)
Cooler area
Lowest apple Observed
5
scab risk severity (%)
8
4
51
Warmer area
Greater apple
scab risk
Cooler area
6.2 – 7.1 C 4.7 – 6.1 %
Collaboration of CMU, PSU and ZedX with funding by The Technology Collaborative, Pittsburgh, PA

4. Sensor Networks for Disease Management in Specialty Crops
Hypothetical Fungicide Map Using Zone Maker Module
Highest risk
Spray Flint +
Mancozeb
fungicide
Lowest risk
Spray Mancozeb
fungicide
Collaboration of CMU, PSU, and ZedX with funding by The Tech Collaborative, Pittsburgh, PA

5. 2009 Scab Incidence on Shoot Leaves, Red Delicious
University Drive Orchard, PSU-FREC, Biglerville, PA
North Top of Block (R1) Slope Side of Block (R2
Center Canopy Top Canopy
100 Center Canopy Top Canopy
80 100
% Disease
% Disease
80
60
60
40
40
20 20
0 0
5-5 5-18 5-26 6-1 5-5 5-18 5-26 6-1
Date Date
Center Block (R3) South Block (R4
Center Canopy Top Canopy Center Canopy Top Canopy
100 100
% Disease
80
80
60 % Disease
60
40
40
20
20
0
0
5-5 5-18 5-26 6-1
5-5 5-18 5-26 6-1
Date Date

6. Red Del / Top Canopy Across Block
2009 Scab Incidence on Red 100
Delicious 80
% Disease
Date
University Drive Orchard, PSU, 60
6-1
FREC, Biglerville, PA 40
5-26
20
5-18
0
5-5
Tree 1 Tree 2 Tree 3 Mean
Top
Canopy
Red Del / Center Canopy Across
Block
200
% Disease
150 Date
100
6-1
50
0 5-26
Tree 1 Tree 2 Tree 3 Mean 5-18
Center 5-5
Canopy

7. 2009 Apple Scab Infection Periods 16 Apr to 26 May1
and forecast/infection prediction through May 29th
Penn State – FREC, Biglerville, PA
http://frec.cas.psu.edu/
- Leaf wetness (hours)
Temperature
60
40
20
(F)
0
Skybit
Weather
Forecast
April May
*
***
Rainfall (in)
-
Skybit scab
April prediction
1 Spectrum Weather Data System &Mills Apple Scab Disease Model. First mature ascospores on 3/31/2009. ** Beginning of peak
ascospore maturity 4/19/09. *** Found first leaf symptoms of scab on Red Delicious on 5/4/2009.
 May 26th through May 29th (possible scab infection: ++) forecast based on Skybit Ag E-Weather IPM Apple Disease Report.

8. 2009 Leaf Wetness (Node 1)
University Drive Orchard, Biglerville, PA

9. 2009 Leaf Wetness (Node 1)
University Drive Orchard, Biglerville, PA

10. Sensor Networks for Disease Management in Specialty Crops
Weather Data Analysis Website – Temperature Data
Raw Data
Clean Data
10 (Red) & 110 cm (Blue) Temperature - Mid Tree
Collaboration of CMU, PSU and ZedX with funding by The Technology Collaborative, Pittsburgh, PA

11. Sensor Networks for Disease Management in Specialty Crops
Weather Data Analysis Website – Leaf Wetness Data
Raw Data
Clean Data
110 cm Leaf Wetness - Mid (Red), North (Blue), &
South (Green) Tree
Collaboration of CMU, PSU and ZedX with funding by The Technology Collaborative, Pittsburgh, PA

12. Growers Field Day Notes
22 July 2009
Penn State Fruit Research & Extension Center
Biglerville, PA