A group of organisations has launched an updated version of its free integrated pest management (IPM) planning tool, which features more crop types and the ability to review and reproduce previous IPM plans.

Since its launch last September, more than 400 registered farmers, agronomists and advisers have used the tool to produce more than 600 IPM cropping plans.

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IPM planning is now a paid action under the Sustainable Farming Incentive and the tool helps farmers create crop-specific plans.

Developed by Adas, the NFU, Scotland’s Rural College and the Voluntary Initiative, it offers easy access to information about methods available to control relevant pests, weeds and diseases.

In response to user feedback so far, an updated version of the tool has been released with enhanced functionality, including:

• Expanded crop types, including spring barley, wheat and beans, to cover more diverse rotations and support decisions on spring crops in IPM strategies
• The ability to view the previous year’s pest, weed and disease issues, practices and comments so farm progress of IPM uptake can be recorded
• The option to duplicate previous plans as a starting point for the following year, which will speed up the process of producing a new plan and allow time for review and reflection of selected strategies. 

According to Adas, farmers and agronomists who have used the tool have appreciated the ease of use and depth of information available on IPM approaches across all the major field crops.

Neil Paveley, Adas technical director for crop protection, says:: “We are delighted that farmers and agronomists are finding the IPM tool useful for crop planning, and that the number of users is growing fast.”

The IPM planning tool is freely available on a dedicated website or via the Voluntary Initiative website. Basis crop protection and environmental adviser points are available for completing the tool.