Mission Statement

The WSU-Tree Fruit Decision Aid System (DAS) is the premier source of time-sensitive information for management in Washington State tree fruits. We are open and eager to collaborate with scientists to integrate tools, management information, and models into DAS that will assist Washington tree fruit growers make the best management decisions and remain competitive in the world economy.

Strategic Vision

The development of DAS is guided by four goals and principles:

1. Implement science-based tools that help with management of time-sensitive problems in entomology, plant pathology, horticulture, soil science and other allied sciences.
2. Use technology to simplify and expand our ability to provide information in a broad range of areas to decision-makers in the tree fruit industry.
3. Work with scientists to implement web and smartphone-based solutions to key technical problems faced by the tree fruit industry.
4. Collaborate with other WSU-DSS and researchers in the region to implement science-based tools for the transfer of time-sensitive information to decision-makers. This includes sharing tools already developed by WSU-Tree Fruit DAS or implementing tools developed by other groups.

How It Works

Who is it for?

• for pest management decision makers in the tree fruit industry

What does it provide?

• time-sensitive information on pest development, management options, and pesticide recommendations
• accessibility on common smartphones and tablets (iOS and Android)

How does it work?

1. sign up for an account (user fees required per weather station annually, all models included)
2. choose weather stations near your orchard location
3. choose pest and horticultural models
   • Insect models: apple maggot, Campylomma bug, codling moth, honeybee foraging, Lacanobia fruitworm, oblique-banded leafroller, oriental fruit moth, Pandemis leafroller, peach twig borer, San Jose scale, Western cherry fruit fly
   • Diseases: apple scab, fire blight, cherry powdery mildew
   • Horticultural models: blooming (Ambrosia, Cripps Pink, Gala, Red Delicious), fruit growth (Cripps Pink, Gala, Red Delicious), bloom timing (Fuji, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Jonagold)
   • Disorders: storage scald, sunburn browning of apple
4. view model output
   • current and forecasted status of pests or issue
   • management recommendations depending on the pest status
5. access management information from the WSU Crop Protection Guide

How DAS Was Developed

DAS was launched in 2007 with 12 models; it now includes 29 models with more in the pipeline. For the first 7 years, DAS was supported on competitively acquired grant funds from state, federal and industry funds (sources are shown in the pie chart - none of the WSU faculty time is listed).

Grants are provided by a particular agency to further the goals of that agency that also help WSU meet our land grant mission. These funds are a legal contract ensuring that WSU will meet the objectives outlined in the grants within a particular time frame (generally 1-3 years). However, these grants do not allow obligations once the granting period is over and funds are expended.

The granting agencies (including the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission) made it very clear that they will not support projects that have any maintenance of DAS associated with them. Nor will they pay for the implementation of new features based on previous finished research. Therefore, alternative funding sources are needed to support the upkeep and expansion of this service.

User Fees

We have set the fees ($250.00/station) based on previous use patterns and with the goal of meeting the program's needs to both run the system and to keep improving the system. A flat fee was set for all users, so that everyone pays the same amount for the services they use. There may be some price adjustments in the future to make sure that the cost-sharing is as fair as possible while guaranteeing stable funding for the program.

Each individual making management recommendations using DAS is required to register for an account for the station(s) where management information from DAS is needed. This annual fee provides access to all models and all the synthesized data associated with the site(s).

A Tool Used By The Industry

We performed user surveys in 2008, 2010, and 2013 to estimate usage and areas where we needed to improve the system. The results showed that DAS is used by the majority of IPM decision makers in the industry in Washington State.

• Roughly 400 managers or management consultants use DAS on a regular basis on >90% of the acreage throughout the season.
• In all three surveys users estimated that the value for DAS to the industry was roughly $16.5M/yr.
• Users felt that DAS clarified treatment timing, improved their overall management program, helped them choose pesticides for best efficacy and least effects on natural enemies, and was a good source of general IPM information.
• Users also reported better pest control and lower management costs.
• DAS users indicated that 81% of them shared information on DAS with others, suggesting that its impact is broader than what can be estimated by just counting those who regularly access the web site.

Testimonies By DAS Users

• "Invaluable tool which I and other consultants use daily."
• "You have done wonders. It's by far the best DSS [Decision Support System] anywhere."
• "DAS will be great for new people coming into agriculture. It has been a help to those of us near going out. Our company has an internship program for young people entering agriculture. I encourage them to use this program. When you advise to farm, you need the weather every day. Thank you!"
• "It's a great system, keep up the good work, thanks!"
• "Thanks for the great tool."

Interested In Adding Your Model To DAS?

Resources Available

WSU-Extension supports a full-time programmer whose function is to help develop, update, and maintain the programming infrastructure of DAS. No funding is available for new model implementation, but we will work with scientists to implement their models based on constraints of our programmers' time.

User fees are used to contract additional programmers, support the manager/educator, and any associated costs with running the DAS web site and user training.

DAS has programming in place that allows us to provide environmental data, forecasts, account management, video and text help files, access to the WSU-Crop Protection Guide (EB0419), Orchard Pest Management Online or other web-based resources.

We conduct periodic on-line surveys of particular model features and usefulness and use Google Analytics data to evaluate use of DAS.

DAS accesses near-real time weather data from WSU-AgWeatherNet with over 120 stations in Washington State.

For British Columbia, we access near-real time weather data provided by stations from Environment Canada BC. Forecast weather data is powered by Weather Source, which provides high-resolution weather data. In addition, Daymet weather data is used for historic averages for long term forecasts.

Our Limitations

DAS is not a research center with resources that allow us to develop models from scratch. We will work with faculty and other scientists to implement their models and management recommendations in a way that is useful to tree fruit managers. Our expertise is focused on insects and mites, but we are willing and eager to work with other scientists to fill out portions of DAS in their area of expertise.

The faculty or industry scientists must provide the validated model and work with us to make sure that it is correctly implemented and answer all questions as to the validity of the models and recommendations.

Our team will work with the faculty and industry affiliated scientists to provide user training within the tree fruit industry.

Extensive programming outside our core competence in DSS implementation must be supported by outside funding.

DAS is not a comprehensive listing of knowledge of all things tree fruit. It is focused only on transfer of time-sensitive knowledge and the rapid processing of information needed for time-critical management decisions.