(Jeju=Yonhap News) Reporter Jeon Ji-hye = Research to create a data-based digital calendar to ensure that the occurrence of citrus pests and diseases in Jeju, which changes annually due to climate change, is not missed and to disseminate it to farmers will be expanded this year. The Jeju Agricultural Technology Institute announced on the 14th that it is expanding the development of a "Citrus Digital Control Power" based on a pest and disease occurrence prediction model for the period of 2025-2029 in collaboration with the Rural Development Administration. The number of targets for the development of a citrus pest occurrence prediction model has been expanded from one last year to three this year. In the first year of the task, last year, the development of a prediction model for the "convex thrips," which causes significant damage to mandarins in facilities, was started. This year, the "citrus leafroller" and "four-eyed bud moth" have been added as targets. The Agricultural Technology Institute plans to comprehensively analyze various data such as meteorological data, citrus growth information, pest and disease development characteristics by temperature, and pest and disease occurrence history to predict the occurrence time and risk level of pests and diseases in advance and provide precise control timing. In the future, the scope will be expanded to target the main pests and diseases that are most problematic for open-field and facility citrus, with plans to complete the "Digital Control Power System" for determining the appropriate time for citrus control by 2029. The Digital Control Power is a service that provides real-time, customized pest control information for each farm by integrating real-time weather information, crop growth models, pest and disease prediction models, and pesticide spraying history. Once the system is established, it is expected that farmers will be able to reduce unnecessary pest control and cut management costs by predicting pest and disease occurrence risks in advance, and produce high-quality citrus stably through timely control, according to the Agricultural Technology Institute. atoz@yna.co.kr