At the Plant Protection Department we carry out monitoring and forecasting the occurrence and development of quarantine harmful organisms and regulated non-quarantine harmful organisms in the area of the Celjska and Koroška region. The work is done within the framework of the Public Plant Protection Service and other research and expert projects.
- Fruit production (contact person Alenka Ferlež Rus)
- Viticulture (contact person Alenka Ferlež Rus)
- Vegetable growing (contact person Silvo Žveplan)
- Crop production (contact person Silvo Žveplan)
- Hops (contact persons: Gregor Leskošek, Magda Rak Cizej, Sebastjan Radišek)
Monitoring and forecasting harmful organisms is based on an agro-meteorological locations network, in which measurements from meteorological stations, monitoring of plant and pest (diseases, pests, weeds) phenology takes place. We use a variety of biotechnical devices to achieve that goal.
Based on the measurements, observations and use of forecasting models and modules (AddVantage Pro 6.2, AGROMET), forecasters produce forecasting news with recommendations for optimum plant protection. This news is provided in accordance with the guidelines of integrated pest management (IPM).
We are available to agricultural growers, with all advice and recommendations by phone and e-mail. We also respond to requests to inspect the situation on the ground.
We are included in the information system for dissemination and subscription of forecasting news and their electronic receipt, which is available on the grometeorological web portal AGROMET.
An on-line module allows users to subscribe to forecasting news from different categories (hop-growing, fruit growing, viticulture, agriculture, horticulture, general notifications) from different geographical areas of Slovenia. Forecasting news can be received at users’ email address or mobile phone, as soon as the news has been issued – free of charge.
We also offer the possibility of sending the forecasting news by regular post and sharing such news at meetings and in training programs.
Over the past two decades, prognosis in plant protection has focused on the use of all available information technologies, which have contributed to more precise and real-time measurements of biotic and abiotic parameters, monitoring, forecasting and advice on the occurrence and spread of pests in plant production.
The agrometeorological information system, which already had its beginnings in 1994 (first purchase of ADCON meteostations) is today centralized and operates within the framework of the Public Plant Protection Service.
The basis of the system is over 80 agrometeorological stations, including 13 stations operating and maintained in the area covered by the Institute for Hop Research and Brewing Slovenia (Savinjska and Koroška). The locations of stations are shown on the map.
At all of the 13 stations, the following parameters are measured: air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, leaf wetness. Some of the stations are also equipped with additional sensors for measuring the soil temperature, wind speed, wind direction and global radiation.
Various equipment is used to ensure as accurate as possible forecasting:
- Spore traps: (Burkhard, Mycotrap): monitoring of apple scab ascospores, Hop downy mildew spores and Cucurbit downy mildew spores
- Outdoor Insectarium (codling moth, Pear leaf miner)
- Feromone traps: (moths, miners, Western corn rootworm).
- Sticky colored traps (white: Sawflies, yellow:
- Flea beetles, cherry fruit fly, wood miners, onion fly, aphids; blue: thrips
- Light traps: (European corn borer, noctuid species)
- Bait traps (eggs of cabbage fly)