A four day training was organized by Armstatehydromet Service and FAO under the “EC/FAO Programme on Information Systems to Improve Food Security Decision-making in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) East Area”. The training aimed at developing capacity of Armstatehydromet and Ministry of Agriculture (Extension Services) in predicting and preventing the occurrence of diseases triggered by climatic conditions.  The main fungal diseases affecting winter wheat (Septoria leaf blotch disease, leaf rust disease, stripe disease, Tan spot disease, Fusarium Head Bligh disease) which have an important impact in Armenia, were investigated as a model for the establishment and use of a Decision Support System (DSS) which can help the Armenian growers to better control their negative impacts on the production.

The training was one of the activities carried out under the Improving Crop Forecasting Component of the EC/FAO Programme which supports government in reducing food insecurity and poverty by improving the quality of forecasting and sharing of information across institutions.

The training was conducted by an international consultant, Dr. El Jarroudi Moussa from the University of Liege in Belgium (ULg). The training focused on main wheat diseases, their development cycle in relation with weather parameters and the use of fungicides for the prevention of wheat crop diseases caused by climatic conditions.

At the end of the training, the participants had acquired sufficient knowledge and skills to:

• Recognize the main wheat crop diseases;
• Understand the development cycle of most fungal diseases and the relation between the weather parameters and the development of the diseases;
• Understand and use the “Distrain” software specially developed for the prediction of eight common diseases of small grains;
• Use the PROCULTURE Model in order to assess  the development of the five youngest wheat leaves, as well as to judge on presence of the Septoria tritici inoculum which may also infect those leaves;
• Predict the infections of the main fungal diseases on a daily basis;
• Determine the optimal time of treatment.

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Objectives

The objective of the training was to develop the capacity of Hydromet and Ministry of Agriculture in predicting and preventing main wheat crop diseases. The training provided both theoretical and practical knowledge and skills in winter wheat diseases, identification and prevention of infections.

Contacts

Ms. Francoise Trine
Programme Coordinator
EC/FAO Programme on Linking information and decision-making to improve food security
E-mail: Francoise.Trine@fao.org

Ms. Mane Tapaltsyan
Country Coordinator
EC/FAO Programme on Linking information and decision-making to improve food security
E-mail: Mane.Tapaltsyan@fao.org

Mr. Moussa El Jarroudi
International Consultant
University of Liege, Belgium
E-mail: meljarroudi@ulg.ac.be

Ms.  Zara Petrosyan
Armstatehydromet Service
E-mail: edittaron@gmail.com

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