The forecasting tool SOPRA has been developed with the objective to optimize timing
of monitoring and control measures of insect pests in fruit orchards. Phenologymodels
were developed driven by solar radiation, air temperature and soil temperature
on hourly basis including simulation of characteristic habitat conditions for Dysaphis
plantaginea, Hoplocampa testudinea, Cydia pomonella, Grapholita lobarzewskii,
Cacopsylla pyri, Rhagoletis cerasi, Anthonomus pomorum and Adoxophyes orana. On
base of local weather data, age structure of pest populations is simulated and crucial
events for management in organic and integrated production are announced. Through
a web-interface, the simulation results are made available to consultants and growers
(www.sopra.info). As timing of monitoring and management are especially important in
organic growing, SOPRA is applied as decision support system (DSS) for major insect
pests of organic fruit orchards in Switzerland
