2018 Prediction system on-farm validation cost-benefit analysis

Validations of the real-time prediction system were done in 2018 on two commercial farms. The grower at Invergowrie utilised the prediction system to determine when to apply fungicides on all strawberries grown on the farm (15 ha) from March to October 2018. The conventional routine spray programme was to apply a fungicide every 14 days to control strawberry powdery mildew. Another site was at Ross-on-Wye; a strawberry crop of 2.8 ha was sprayed with fungicides guided by the web-based prediction system.

Cost-benefit analyses were calculated at the end of the season based on fungicide cost and associated labour cost. For the farm near Invergowrie, on the everbearer crop, by following the prediction system this has given a saving of £275.68 per hectare; on the June bearer crop at the same site, of £280.76 per hectare. Similarly, comparing the costs of the prediction system to those of the routine spray programme at the site near Ross-on-Wye, the prediction system gave savings of £216.33 per hectare.