Application of a modified mathematical model “consumer – resource” to justify the periods of treatment of potato late blight with fungicides

Saint Petersburg State University, 7-9 Universitetskaya Embankment, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia

^* Corresponding author: n.gasratova@spbu.ru

Abstract

Potato late blight is a harmful disease. Treatment of fields with fungicides is the main method of combating this phytopathology. The work presents a modified mathematical model “consumer - resource” - this is a system of partial differential equations, which contains a step function with the help of which fungicidal treatment can be successfully modeled. The system was solved numerically. Based on the modeling results, it is possible to successfully simulate the development of leaf damage during the growing season without and with fungicide treatment. Thus, knowing the duration of action of the drugs and assuming how intensively late blight will develop, it is possible to model different combinations of fungicides and spraying times. This circumstance can be successfully implemented into decision support systems for agricultural enterprises.