Plant Clinic Open for Plant Diagnosis
This article was originally published on June 8, 2009 and expired on November 15, 2009. It is provided here for archival purposes and may contain dated information.
Need to have a plant problem diagnosed? The University of Illinois Plant Clinic at Urbana is open for the 34th year to diagnose field crop and horticultural plant problems.
The Plant Clinic, open through September 15, specializes in identifying disease problems, nematodes, insects and insect injury, and weeds. Chemical residue testing is not available and the clinic can not receive samples from other states.
The lab can culture plant parts to test for fungal and bacterial pathogens. Depending upon the organism, this may take anywhere from 24 hours to 10 days. The Plant Clinic offers nematode assays on roots and soil.
Insect and weed identification is a fairly quick process so the turnaround time is normally short. Herbicide injury diagnoses are based on samples, symptoms, and the facts presented. The Plant Clinic is not equipped to assay soil or plants for chemical residues.
The Plant Clinic web site, http://plantclinic.cropsci.illinois.edu/index.html provides information on how to submit a sample, sample fees, specimen data forms (to accompany samples), clinic services, and links to other sites. Responses and how to manage the problem will be returned to clients by US mail and electronically. General diagnosis is $15.00 per sample. Specialty tests require more time and equipment, and thus have a higher fee. For example, pinewood nematode and soybean cyst nematode samples are $20.00. Payment must accompany the sample.
The clinic can also diagnose and monitor sudden oak death, soybean rust, legume viruses, Emerald ash borer, giant hogweed, and other plant pathogens and pests that might be exotic invasive concerns in Illinois. The Plant Clinic processed 2,434 samples in 2008. Additionally, 850 telephone inquiries, 505 walk-in diagnoses, and over 500 electronic inquiries were processed last year.
The mailing address is: Plant Clinic, 1401 W. St. Mary's Road, Urbana, IL 61802. The phone number is 217-333-0519.
Further information is available at University of Illinois Extension offices.
Source: Jim Morrison, Extension Educator, Crop Systems, morrison@illinois.edu
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