Sample Submission Procedures For Plant Disease Diagnosis
Selection of samples
- Select a sample that shows distinct symptoms. If there
are varying degrees of damage, include samples that are in varying
stages of the problem. Include a healthy plant or parts of plant
if possible. Do not send us dead, dried samples - they can rarely
be used for diagnosis.
- Send as much of the plant as possible. Depending on the problem,
roots and shoots may both be necessary. Often foliar symptoms
are the result of a root problem.
- For roots: dig plants, do not pull them up. Include as much
of the root as you can dig out and leave adhering soil on the roots.
- For branches, shoots and leaves: make sure several leaves
or twigs are included that have symptoms. Cut symptomatic
sections of limbs or branches.
- Keep all samples refrigerated until ready to send (exceptions
listed below).
Packaging of samples
- Put stems and leaves in a plastic bag, do not add water or
wet paper towels. Put roots with soil in a separate
plastic bag, do not add water or wet paper towels.
- Put samples in a suitable box or mailing container so they
will not be crushed. Mail on Monday through Wednesday only so
that samples do not sit over the weekend.
- Always include the name of the host plant, a description
of the problem, dates of symptom development and sample
collection, location, and the contact person for questions
and/or results.
Special situations
Turf - use a cup cutter or knife to cut plugs or squares about
2 inches across and as deep as roots will hold soil. Sample
from the inside, edge, and outside of the problem area, and put these
samples in separate bags marked accordingly. Do not add wet paper
towels or water.
Fungal fruiting bodies such as conks or mushrooms - place as
much of an intact structure as possible into a paper bag; do
not use plastic for fresh fungal structures.
Nematodes must be sampled from moist soil around the
root. Put a pint of moist soil (dig down to moisture if needed)
in a plastic bag and seal. Include small roots. Keep cool
but not cold.
Sample Submittal
Form
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