Plant clinics in Peru and the hidden enemies of agriculture

Abstract

The Plant Clinics (PCs), with CABI Plantwise Program (Centre for Agricultural Bioscience International), were officially initiated in Peru in 2012 by an agreement signed with the INIA (National Institute of Agrarian Innovation). Under this Agreement, PCs were originally established in four Experimental Stations (EEA) located in four regions of Peru, to subsequently include 4 more, making a total of 8 regions with different agro-ecologies (Jungle: Tarapoto; Sierra: Cajamarca, Huancayo, Ayacucho, Cusco and Puno; Coast: Chiclayo and Lima). These PCs have the presence of a "Plant Doctor" (PDs), an INIA technician, duly trained in Plant Health, who once a week at a certain place provides services to farmers who bring samples of their "sick" crops”. Examined the sample by the PDs, records the symptoms and diagnosis in a database platform. Then PDs provide the farmer with the most convenient recommendations within an Integrated Management  of the relevant crop. The PDs also carry out “Health Campaigns” on the main problems detected in the CPs, as well as field visits, providing “Flying Sheets”, written in a simple and precise way for the identification of phytosanitary problems and their respective management. The information kept in a Data Bank has allowed  to know crops with the highest demand and the incidence and severity of their pests and diseases in the eight regions of Perú.