Replication Data for: A simple, hand-held decision support designed tool to help resource-poor farmers improve potato late blight management

Many decision support systems (DSS) have been developed to manage potato late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans, but most of these require sophisticated equipment and are not realistic alternatives for small-scale farmers in low-income countries. This research evaluates a simple, hand-held decision support tool (HH-DST) consisting of a disk with three concentric circles, two of which represent factors that drive late blight epidemics and the third providing a spray recommendation. Three disks of different colors have been designed for potato varieties of varying levels of host resistance. The HH-DST was compared with locally used fungicide spray regimes in three trials in Peru, and in six trials in Ecuador, where the tool had been slightly modified. In two additional trials in Peru, the HH-DST was compared with local practices, calendar spraying and two other DSS. The HH-DST and local spray regimes both gave relatively good disease control in all cases, however, the HH-DST was more effective with highly susceptible cultivars both in Ecuador and Peru. The HH-DST also had equal or lower number of sprays per season and had a lower environmental impact, based on the environmental impact quotient (EIQ), than did the local practices. Results were similar in trials comparing different DSS, where all approaches, including the HH-DST, adequately controlled disease, and the HH-DST was among the lowest for both number of sprays per season and environmental impact. The HH-DST is a simple tool that can help resource-poor farmers improve management of potato late blight.

已有诸多决策支持系统（decision support systems, DSS）被开发用于防控由致病疫霉（Phytophthora infestans）引发的马铃薯晚疫病，但此类系统大多依赖精密仪器设备，对于低收入国家的小规模农户而言并不具备实际应用可行性。本研究评估了一款简易手持决策支持工具（hand-held decision support tool, HH-DST）：该工具由带有三个同心圆的圆盘组成，其中两个圆对应驱动晚疫病流行的关键因子，第三个圆则用于生成杀菌剂喷施建议。研究针对寄主抗性水平各异的马铃薯品种，设计了三款不同颜色的配套圆盘。研究团队在秘鲁开展3组对照试验，将该手持工具与当地常用的杀菌剂喷施方案进行对比；在厄瓜多尔开展6组试验，其中该工具经过了小幅改良。此外在秘鲁还额外开展2组试验，将该手持工具与当地常规防治措施、按日历喷施方案以及另外两款决策支持系统进行对比。所有试验中，该手持工具与当地喷施方案均实现了较为优异的病害防控效果；但在厄瓜多尔与秘鲁两地，该手持工具对高度感病马铃薯品种的防控效果更为突出。基于环境影响系数（environmental impact quotient, EIQ）的评估结果显示，该手持工具的季均喷施次数与当地常规措施持平或更低，且环境影响更小。在不同决策支持系统的对照试验中，结果保持一致：包括该手持工具在内的所有方案均能有效防控病害，且该手持工具的季均喷施次数与环境影响均处于最低水平之列。综上，这款简易手持决策支持工具能够帮助资源匮乏农户优化马铃薯晚疫病的防治管理。