By Andi Anderson
Crop farmers can now better predict the kinds of disease pressure they will face during the growing season with the help of the National Predictive Modeling Tool Initiative (NPMTI).
This innovative project uses plant disease data and pathogen spore counts from Midwest farms to develop research-based predictions for crop diseases and mycotoxins in the U.S.
Supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Risk Service, NPMTI collects pathogen spores and disease severity data from field trials in ten states. These samples are sent to designated laboratories for testing, creating models that inform growers about potential disease risks.
Alison Robertson, a professor in plant pathology and microbiology at Iowa State University, will demonstrate how the tool works at the Farm Progress Show on Aug. 27-29 near Boone. At the Iowa State University exhibit, she will showcase spore traps, petri dishes with live pathogens, and diseased plants. Robertson will explain the collection and counting of spores and how disease severity is measured.
Show attendees will learn how this information predicts the likelihood of diseases such as tar spot, grey leaf spot, and northern corn leaf blight. If plant diseases are expected, farmers can apply fungicide; if no disease is predicted, they can save time and money by skipping the application.
“Our goal is to develop disease prediction tools that enable farmers to farm more sustainably, by predicting the kinds of diseases they will face, and giving them more clarity on whether a fungicide is going to be necessary,” Robertson said.
The information is currently available for tar spot through the “Tarspotter” app, which uses GPS coordinates and weather data to predict favorable conditions for tar spot development in specific fields. The app will soon include predictions for other corn diseases and new apps are being developed for wheat, cotton, and pulses.
“These apps can help tell you if your field is at risk for a disease, and if it’s at risk, then you can apply a fungicide. But if there’s no risk of disease, then that $20-30 per acre on a fungicide application is unnecessary,” Robertson said.
Robertson also emphasizes the importance of the "disease triangle" – the right climate, a susceptible hybrid, and the pathogen must all be present for a disease to occur. The NPMTI project, established in 2020 and funded by a congressional appropriation, grows stronger each year as more data is added.
Similar trials are conducted nationwide, making the tool useful for farmers across the U.S. Robertson and her team will be available at the show to answer questions and demonstrate what plant diseases look like.
“I’m looking forward to being at the show and interacting with producers and anyone else who is interested in what these tools can do,” Robertson said. “We need to get the word out that this national predictive model exists and is improving, so farmers can have the tools they need to manage crop diseases more effectively, efficiently and sustainably.”
Photo Credit: gettyimages-nicexray
Categories: Iowa, Crops, Sustainable Agriculture