News Release
For Immediate Release — May 21, 2012
First Mobile App for Landscape and Nursery Professionals Developed by a Team of Plant and Pest Experts from Seven Major Universities
University of Tennessee Research Foundation Releases IPMPro™ Mobile App
John Watson, with Common Grounds Landscape Management in Knoxville, Tennessee, got an early introduction to the IPM app. “My first thought was, ‘Where have you been?’ Most of the time we get so busy putting out fires we forget that the best thing we could do is prevent fires,” he explained.
Screen shot of the app's logo as it appears in online markets.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Green Industry professionals often find themselves in the field needing immediate access to pest and plant disease information and plant care recommendations. Or, they need to be alerted when destructive pests emerge in their area. Thanks to a collaborative effort of horticulturists, entomologists and plant pathologists at seven land-grant universities, now there's an app for that.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture together with Clemson, North Carolina State University, University of Georgia, University of Kentucky, University of Maryland and Virginia Polytechnic Institute have developed the first Integrated Pest Management mobile app for nursery growers, landscapers, arborists, Extension agents and students that includes the major horticultural practices and disease and insect recommendations.
IPMPro will streamline pest management decision-making, employee training, and will make complying with state pesticide recordkeeping regulations easy. The mobile app is available for iPhone, iPad, and Android.
Built by horticulture and pest management experts in cooperation with growers and landscapers, IPMPro was built for USDA Plant Hardiness Zones four through eight, which include 22 states from west of the Mississippi River, east and north to Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and south to the Gulf Coast.
“Nursery and landscape professionals conduct business on the go; they truly have a mobile office – often their truck,” explained Amy Fulcher, lead developer and University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture plant scientist. “IPMPro dramatically simplifies day-to-day plant care and pest control decision-making in the field. It provides a library of information in the convenience of an app, and features real-time alerts to help professionals stay on top of emerging pests and timely plant care.”
IPMPro is like having an expert in the field with the user to:
• Receive text-like alerts for time-sensitive pest issues and plant care - alert date adjusted to location
• Consult images, pest lifecycle, and management options for major pests of woody plants
• Reference how-to information and images of cultural practices
• Obtain pesticide recommendations for major diseases and insects
• Utilize built-in pesticide recordkeeping for documentation while outdoors
• Track pests and cultural practices in calendar view or a chronological list
• Assist in educating new employees and experienced professionals
John Watson, with Common Grounds Landscape Management in Knoxville, Tennessee, got an early introduction to the IPM app. “My first thought was, ‘Where have you been?’ Most of the time we get so busy putting out fires we forget that the best thing we could do is prevent fires,” he explained. “This is just the kind of thing the industry needs. Now we have the best opportunity to head off pest issues that can wreak havoc for nursery and landscape professionals and for homeowners.”
This is the first application of its kind developed in the United States, and it was made possible through funding by the UT Institute of Agriculture through its Extension and AgResearch units and the Department of Plant Sciences, and in cooperation with the University of Tennessee Research Foundation. For less than a subscription for non-interactive tools like books and magazines that professionals currently use, IPMPro is $24.99 and is available through Apple and Android marketplaces. For more information on the application, visit http://www.IPMProApp.com.
Coming soon for homeowners - IPMLite.
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The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture provides instruction, research and public service through the UT College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch, including its system of 10 research and education centers, and UT Extension offices in every county in the state.
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For more information visit http://www.IPMProApp.com
Members of the development team may be contacted and include:
Tennessee (Lead Institution)
Amy Fulcher (Lead Developer)
University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Department of Plant Sciences
amyfulcher@tennessee.edu;
(865) 974-7152
Frank Hale
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Soil, Plant and Pest Center
fahale@utk.edu; (615) 835-4571
William Klingeman
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Department of Plant Sciences
wklingem@utk.edu; Phone (865) 974-7324
Alan Windham
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Soil, Plant and Pest Center
awindha1@utk.edu; Phone (615) 835-4572
Georgia
Kris Braman
The University of Georgia, Department of Entomology
kbraman@uga.edu; Phone: (770) 228-7236
Matthew Chappell
The University of Georgia, Horticulture Department
hortprod@uga.edu; Phone (706) 542-9044
Jean Williams-Woodward (Lead Plant Pathology Developer)
The University of Georgia, Department of Plant Pathology
jwoodwar@uga.edu; Phone: (706) 542-9140
Kentucky
Winston Dunwell
UK Research & Education Center
wdunwell@uky.edu; Phone: (270) 365-7541 x 209
Maryland
Stanton Gill
University of Maryland, Central Maryland UME
sgill@umd.edu; Phone (301) 596-9413
Karen Rane
University of Maryland Plant Diagnostic
rane@umd.edu; Phone (301) 405-1611
North Carolina
Craig Adkins
North Carolina State University, Agricultural Resource Center
craig_adkins@ncsu.edu; Phone (828) 757-1290
Steven Frank
North Carolina State University, Department of Entomology
steven_frank@ncsu.edu; Phone (919) 515-8880
Anthony LeBude
Horticultural Science,
Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center (MHCREC)
anthony_lebude@ncsu.edu; Phone (828) 684.3562
Joe Neal
North Carolina State University, Department of Horticultural Science
joe_neal@ncsu.edu; Phone: 919.515.9379
South Carolina
Juang-Horng (J.C.) Chong (Lead Entomology Developer)
Pee Dee Research and Education Center
juanghc@clemson.edu; Phone (843) 662-3526 ext. 224
Sarah White (Lead Horticulture Developer)
Clemson University, Department of Horticulture
swhite4@clemson.edu; Phone (864) 656-7433
Virginia
Jeff Derr
Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Hampton Roads Ag. Res. and Ext. Center
jderr@vt.edu; Phone: (757) 363-3912