Monitoring apple scab epidemiology in a changing climate: integrating precision tools and adaptive management strategies

Climate change is significantly impacting agricultural practices, particularly in the management of plant diseases such as apple scab, caused by the fungal pathogen Venturia inaequalis (Cooke) G.Wint. Traditional fungicide applications, while effective, often rely on calendar-based schedules, leading to overuse and environmental concerns. The integration of decision-support systems (DSS) such as addVANTAGE Pro and RIMpro, offers a promising approach to optimize fungicide use while maintaining effective disease control. Agricultural advisors play a crucial role in bridging the gap between technological innovation and on-farm implementation, providing tailored guidance to growers on interpreting DSS outputs, calibrating models to local microclimates, and transitioning to dynamic, data-driven spray regimes. For three consecutive years, we explored the epidemiology of V. inaequalis under local climatic conditions in an experimental apple orchard (cv. Fuji) of 0.4 ha, located in Polykarpi, Kastoria, Northern Greece. Warmer temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns are influencing the pathogen's life cycle, necessitating adaptive management strategies. However, despite seasonal climatic variability, the initiation of apple scab symptoms consistently aligns with the phenological stages of the crop, indicating a stable temporal pattern of symptom development each year. By the results of the present work, it became apparent that DSS-guided spray programs can reduce fungicide use by up to 25% compared to conventional methods, without compromising disease control efficacy. This underscores the importance of advisory services in disseminating region-specific best practices, conducting hands-on training for technology adoption, and fostering farmer confidence in precision-based interventions. These findings highlight the dual benefits of addVANTAGE Pro and RIMpro in enhancing sustainability and resilience in apple production.