Jon Clements
If you have not looked at NEWA (Network for Environment & Weather Applications, https://newa.cornell.edu/) since last year (or perhaps never?) you will notice a major change in the user interface now that NEWA 3.0 (as opposed to the ‘old’ NEWA or NEWA 2.0) is fully deployed. Here are some major enhancements and features you should know about to make NEWA more useful and user friendly. I call them my Top 10 NEWA Tips. Before I get to that though, a reminder NEWA is one decision support tool you can use and is not the final word. If in doubt, consult your crop consultant, agrichemical sales person, or UMass Extension for further advice. Now here is my Top 10 NEWA Tips:
- Sign In - it’s important to initially sign up and then subsequently Sign In for customization of your NEWA interface and make only the information you want — for example, just your farm or orchard – appear in your Dashboard (see Dashboard below). Don’t forget to save your username and password!
- Edit Profile - after sign up and login, go and Edit your Profile. There, you should enter some personal information; select your Favorite NEWA Station(s) – most likely your own farm or orchard, or the closest one nearby, you can add multiple stations even; add the Crop and IPM Tools of most interest to you; and there are Other Tools you can choose to add or not. The above will all now be available for quick access in your Dashboard (after you sign in).
- Dashboard – your Dashboard is where it all happens. There you will have quick access to: your favorite station(s); the current conditions; your weather forecast; and the Crop and IPM Tools you added in your Profile. A special note on the Crop and IPM Tools, if you click on the little arrow icon just to the left of the Tool, it should quickly give you an update on the current pest situation. Pretty cool and potentially very handy on your smartphone! I have not fully tested this feature, however, during the growing season.
- Apple scab - make sure you set your (McIntosh) Green Tip Date. (When you get there of course.) Note NEWA will attempt to estimate this based on degree-day accumulation, however, we have found it to consistently estimate an earlier than actual green tip date. Green tip date is used to start the ascospore maturity model. Note at the left of the window there is a Show/Hide menu, you may need to use that to select the apple scab model parameters of interest to you. Ascospore maturity, infection events summary, and infection events are a must ‘Show.’ And the Management Guide may be of interest for you to review, and if an action is to be taken, you can then consult the MyIPM app or Eco Fruit App for control options.
- Fire blight - is a fairly complicated model, with options. But you need to assess and choose your Orchard Blight History and First Blossom Date for the fire blight model to run. Then you will see a Results table that gives fire blight risk using both Cougar Blight and Epiphytic Infection Potential. EIP, which is basically Maryblyt, but NEWA can’t call it that! Keep in mind that you must have a wetting event for a fire blight infection to actually occur, even if the risk of infection is elevated. Thus, there is a Wetness Events table to consult if you are unsure. As with apple scab, there is a Management Guide. And a Cougar Blight Risk Table visualizing the current and seasonal fire blight risk at a glance.
- Codling moth (CM) - compared to the disease models, the codling moth model is fairly simple. But first you need to enter your first sustained catch of CM in your pheromone traps. Assuming you are doing that? If not, NEWA will estimate that date. Then a results table will show you Accumulated Degree Days Base 50 F. from that first trap catch. But you have to note in the Management Guide, the CM pest stage/status and pest management recommendation based on your current DD accumulation. Again, consult the MyIPM or Eco Fruit apps for control recommendations should the pest status/management indicate such action is necessary.
- Cornell apple carbohydrate thinning - one of the most requested NEWA features, user input required includes green tip and bloom dates and percent flowering spurs. Then a Results Table will display Thinning Recommendations based on the current Carbohydrate Balance, for which there is also a graph. More Info provides more information (obviously) such as “Improvements to the Cornell Apple Carbohydrate Thinning Model - Malusim.” Note that all (most?) of the Crop and IPM Tools have a More Info text link (as well as Acknowledgements and References). AND, on all (most?) of the Model landing pages a WATCH TUTORIAL icon – these are extremely well done by NEWA and I recommend watching them at least once to get the most helpful information on how to use and interpret the Models.
- NEWA knowledge base - is accessible using the Help link in the menu at the top of each NEWA page. Clicking this Help link will take you to the NEWA Knowledge Base, allowing you to submit a request to the NEWA Help Desk. And, if you select the NEWA Help Desk link, you will be taken to a page where all the NEWA KNowledge Base videos are housed.
- NEWA weather tools - allows you to perform various weather queries like monthly summary by day, which I find most handy. Also there is a degree-day calculator with no fewer than 20 base temperature/DD calculation method choices!
- NEWA is mobile friendly - although the experience on a smartphone is very condensed, it’s very functional, especially when compared to the ‘old’ NEWA. You can even add a shortcut (iOS and Android) to your homescreen to launch NEWA with one click. Of course on a tablet – think sitting in your armchair recliner at home in the evening – this ‘responsive-web design’ NEWA is even more friendly!
NEWA 3.0 Tutorials (February 7, 2022)
NEWA 3.0 Introduction | https://vimeo.com/685931044
NEWA 3.0 Profile Setup and Dashboard Use | https://vimeo.com/685940969
NEWA 3.0 Apple Scab Model | https://vimeo.com/685938651
NEWA 3.0 Internal Lep Models | https://vimeo.com/685949804
NEWA 3.0 Plum Curculio | https://vimeo.com/685980793
NEWA 3.0 Fire Blight Model | https://vimeo.com/685984674
Useful Links:
NEWA Website: https://newa.cornell.edu/
Help Desk email: support@newa.zendesk.com
All Apple Resources: https://bit.ly/newa-apple-resources
Additional Resources for Apple Production: https://newa.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4420370025111 (includes the “Apple Biofix Sheet” and the “Fire Blight Susceptibility for Apple Cultivars and Rootstocks”)
This work was supported in part by funding provided by USDA NIFA Extension Implementation Program, Award No. 2021-70006-35388
