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A member of the
SPDN -
http://spdn.ifas.ufl.edu/
The Florida Extension Plant Diagnostic
Clinic (FEPDC) at the North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC),
Quincy is designed to provide plant disease and insect diagnostic services for
any Florida resident interested in plant diseases and pests. The Clinic is a
facility of NFREC and the Department of Plant Pathology at University of
Florida/IFAS. This partnership allows the clinic to maintain a strong connection
with the leading extension specialists and researchers in the field of Plant
Pathology, Entomology, Nematology, Horticultural Sciences and Agronomy.
Diagnosis is the process of identifying a pathogen based on a combination of the
symptoms of disease and signs of causal agent. The Clinic promotes an "identify
the problem before taking any control action" attitude. Efficient integrated
pest management is dependent upon accurate knowledge of pathogens or causal
agents. Knowing the pest before taking action provides efficient use and
selection of appropriate management tactics. In many situations, management of
pests has been unsuccessful because of incorrect diagnosis.
Our services include analysis of plant material for fungal, bacterial and viral
pathogens as well suggesting appropriate management recommendations when
available based on UF/IFAS pest management guides. Other than classical
diagnostic techniques, PCR, ELISA and MIDI are being used for specific and
sensitive detection and identification of plant pathogens. Samples come from
Extension Faculty, Growers, IPM Providers, Pest Control and Landscape
Maintenance Companies, Retailers, Golf Courses, Researchers, and Homeowners.
The Plant Diagnostic Clinic works primarily through Extension county offices in
Florida. If there is an office near you, you may want to contact them for
assistance with your plant disease or pest problems. The University of
Florida/IFAS Extension personnel will be able to help you immediately.
A web-based Distance Diagnostic and Identification System (DDIS )
http://ddis.ifas.ufl.edu/, for the diagnosis of pest problems based on the
electronic transmission of digital images has already been created and is
currently operational in Florida counties. In 1999, the Clinic at the NFREC
started receiving digital images of plant samples to enhance diagnostic
capabilities. If you would like to learn more about how to submit plant disease
samples using DDIS please contact your county extension office.
You can also visit
http://tmomol.ifas.ufl.edu/pdc.htm to quickly access information on
Plant Diagnostic Clinic and services offered. Please follow the instructions for
submitting samples carefully. It is very difficult to make a diagnosis if a
sample is improperly collected, packed, and/or shipped. The clinic provides
accurate plant disease diagnosis and insect identification, professional
services, and up-to-date control recommendations.
Figure 1. Target spot symptoms on tomato leaves. |
Figure 2. Target spot symptoms on tomato fruit. |
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