Identifying links between farmer and agronomist perceptions on pest and disease risk, the information sources they use to determine pesticide usage and the uptake of IPM methods

Project Lead: Elliot Meador
Host Institution: SRUC
Project Date: 1 March 2021 to 31 May 2022
Reference Number:
PHC2020/05
Newspaper
Pesticide use remains an important tool in managing pest, weed and disease risks to crops and maintaining profitable production. There are several drivers, including pesticide withdrawals and the biodiversity and climate crises, for reducing reliance on pesticides and promoting the uptake of more sustainable practices through Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This project looks to understand where growers and agronomists currently gather information to form their impression of pest and disease risk and inform their decision making on the need for interventions, pesticide or otherwise. It will interrogate whether perceived risk and pesticide application made match the actual risk to crops.

Impact: Identify accurate, efficient and trusted sources and test whether these sources are influential in appropriate usage of control options across key arable regions and crop types, plus intervention tools or methods that might be needed to manipulate or change how information flows; bespoke to the needs of the Scottish stakeholder network.
Position:
Institution: Scotland’s Rural College
Position:
Institution: Scotland’s Rural College
Position:
Institution: Scotland’s Rural College
Position:
Institution: SRUC