Issue 1, April 20, 2015
2015 Season at the University of Illinois Plant Clinic: Welcome to Our New Diagnostician and to the Diagnostic Year!
New Diagnostician: What a fantastic start to the 2015 season! The University of Illinois Plant Clinic is very pleased to introduce our new Diagnostician, Diane Plewa. Diane was hired late last fall as our Plant Diagnostic Outreach Extension Specialist-Crop Sciences. Diane has degrees in Plant Pathology from the University of Illinois and the Ohio State University. Just prior to joining the clinic, Diane was an Extension Educator, Horticulture, with U of I Extension and served as our part time interim Diagnostician. Many of you may have already met Diane this winter at our First Detector invasive species area workshops, or seen her articles here in the newsletter. I am so pleased to have her fully on board now at the clinic. In her duties as Diagnostician, she collaborates with departmental Extension Specialists and others to diagnose plant health problems and provide management recommendations. She interfaces with counterparts in the North Central and National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN). Additionally, Diane develops short courses and outreach for plant diagnostics as outlined in the NIFA-Extension CPPM-EIP grant.
Diane Plewa, new Diagnostic Outreach Extension Specialist at the University of Illinois Plant Clinic.
2015 Season: Samples have already been arriving this spring here at the Clinic in our 40th year of operation. The warm weather has inspired early yard work and observations of pest issues in home and commercial landscapes. The University of Illinois Plant Clinic is open year round to serve your plant diagnostic needs.
A view of one of our diagnostic labs in Turner Hall
Plant Clinic services include plant and insect identification, diagnosis of disease, insect, weed and chemical injury (chemical injury on field crops only), nematode assays, and help with nutrient related problems, as well as recommendations involving these diagnoses. Microscopic examinations, laboratory culturing, virus assays, and nematode assays are some of the techniques used in the clinic. Many samples can be diagnosed within a day or two. Should culturing be necessary, isolates may not be ready to make a final reading for as much as two weeks. Nematode processing also requires about 1-2 weeks depending on the procedure. We send your final diagnoses and invoices to you through both the US mail and email. If you provide your email address on the sample form you will get your information earlier.
Please refer to our website http://web.extension.illinois.edu/plantclinic/ for additional details on sampling, sample forms, fees, and services offered. If you have questions about what, where, or how to sample call us at 217-333-0519. Whenever submitting a sample, provide as much information as possible on the pattern of injury in the planting, the pattern on individual affected plants, and details describing how symptoms have changed over time to cause you concern.
Our fees vary depending on the procedure necessary. General diagnosis including culturing is $15, ELISA and immunostrip testing is $25, Nematode analysis for SCN or PWN is $20, Specialty Nematode testing (such as corn) is $40. Checks should be made payable to the University of Illinois or to the Plant Clinic. Call if uncertain of which test is needed.
Sending a sample thru US mail or delivery service address to:
University of Illinois Plant Clinic
1102 S. Goodwin, S-417 Turner Hall
Urbana, IL 61801
Other Contact Information: Our phone and voicemail is 217-333-0519. Our email is plantclinic@illinois.edu or, if you enjoy social media you can follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/UofIPlantClinic.
Drop off a sample: You can also drop off a sample at S-417 Turner Hall. Park in the metered lot F 28 on the east side of Turner or at the ACES library metered lot on the west side of Turner. Come in the South door. Take the elevator located in the SE corner of the building. Turn left when exiting the elevator; we are located along the SE corridor of the 4th floor. Please use the green drop box located just outside S-417 if we are temporarily out of the office.
Plant Clinic location, S-417 Turner Hall, 1102 S. Goodwin, Urbana IL 61801
(Suzanne Bissonnette)
Author:
Suzanne Bissonnette