A Web site/email-based pest alert system was developed to notify people interested in crop production of pest outbreaks or forecasts of outbreaks. When pest outbreaks are confirmed or predicted, an email notification is immediately sent to subscribers. Links to pest management information are included. In 2006, the service had 465 subscribers and 31,000 Web visits. As a result of this service, an average of 11% of subscribers reduced the number of sprays applied to their crops, and 54% of all subscribers increased field scouting to document pest levels. This system has helped increase the adoption of IPM practices.
Neufeld et al. (Mon,) studied this question.