Jangseong County Introduces Smartphone-Based Fruit Tree Fire Blight Surveillance, First in South Jeolla

Digital Surveillance and Control Team Launched
Thorough Management of Apple and Pear Orchards
Real-Time Response Using an App
Aiming for a "Fire Blight-Free Region"

Jangseong County in South Jeolla Province is taking the lead in the province by using a smartphone app to prevent fruit tree fire blight.

On April 23, Jangseong County announced that it will operate a "Digital Surveillance and Control Team" from May to November, conducting detailed inspections of local apple and pear farms. The app "FarmSixPlus," which allows real-time recording of on-site information, will be used during the surveillance process.

Farmers in Jangseong County are conducting surveillance for fruit tree fire blight using a smartphone app. Provided by Jangseong County

This app enables rapid response with features such as registering suspected symptoms, entering information on diseases and pests, taking photos, and making voice memos. After verifying its effectiveness through a pilot program last year, the county has fully adopted the app starting this year.

Fruit tree fire blight is a highly contagious bacterial disease. If an orchard is infected, it can lead to the closure of the orchard and a ban on cultivation, making it extremely dangerous. The county plans to prevent damage in advance by supporting disease control agents and expanding a digital-based surveillance system.

Park Eonjeong, head of the County Agricultural Technology Center, said, "We expect digital surveillance to play a major role in preventing fire blight," and asked farmers to actively follow prevention guidelines.