• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.84-91
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• 2002

Disease forecasting in Korea was first studied in the Department of Fundamental Research, in the Central Agricultural Technology Institute in Suwon in 1947, where the dispersal of air-borne conidia of blast and brown spot pathogens in rice was examined. Disease forecasting system in Korea is operated based on information obtained from 200 main forecasting plots scattered around country (rice 150, economic crops 50) and 1,403 supplementary observational plots (rice 1,050, others 353) maintained by Korean government. Total number of target crops and diseases in both forecasting plots amount to 30 crops and 104 diseases. Disease development in the forecasting plots is examined by two extension agents specialized in disease forecasting, working in the national Agricul-tural Technology Service Center(ATSC) founded in each city and prefecture. The data obtained by the extension agents are transferred to a central organization, Rural Development Administration (RDA) through an internet-web system for analysis in a nation-wide forecasting program, and forwarded far the Central Forecasting Council consisted of 12 members from administration, university, research institution, meteorology station, and mass media to discuss present situation of disease development and subsequent progress. The council issues a forecasting information message, as a result of analysis, that is announced in public via mass media to 245 agencies including ATSC, who informs to local administration, the related agencies and farmers for implementation of disease control activity. However, in future successful performance of plant disease forecasting system is thought to be securing of excellent extension agents specialized in disease forecasting, elevation of their forecasting ability through continuous trainings, and furnishing of prominent forecasting equipments. Researches in plant disease forecasting in Korea have been concentrated on rice blast, where much information is available, but are substan-tially limited in other diseases. Most of the forecasting researches failed to achieve the continuity of researches on specialized topic, ignoring steady improvement towards practical use. Since disease forecasting loses its value without practicality, more efforts are needed to improve the practicality of the forecasting method in both spatial and temporal aspects. Since significance of disease forecasting is directly related to economic profit, further fore-casting researches should be planned and propelled in relation to fungicide spray scheduling or decision-making of control activities.