*CES

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Plant Clinic Update

April 25, 2003

The Plant Clinic will open for the 2003 season May 2. There is no mail service to the building until that date, so please don’t mail packages earlier. Although there are few changes in policies or fees from last year, the following facts may be useful as you work with clients who have need of a diagnostic clinic.

Part of U of I Extension, the Plant Clinic was instituted to provide impartial plant-problem diagnosis across a range of disciplines. Services include insect, plant, and weed identification; disease diagnosis; nematode assays; help interpreting chemical-injury symptoms and nutrient-related problems; and management recommendations. The clinic cannot handle herbicide-injury problems on ornamental plants, nor can it assess nutrient levels in tissue or soil samples.

Diagnoses are available electronically, as well as by U.S. mail. We welcome digital images of plant problems with the actual plant sample. The Plant Clinic is a distinct entity from the distance digital diagnosis system and often receives samples that could not be diagnosed by images alone. Unlike the digital diagnosis system, there is a fee for all Plant Clinic samples. It varies depending on the type of service. Fees are the same as last year and are required with the sample. There is no billing office.

General diagnosis (including cultures), $12.50

Specialty tests (PWN, foliar nematodes, ELISA)*, $18.75

Complete nematode assay, $40.00

*PWN indicates pinewood nematode analysis. ELISA is a
technique used to test for various viral pathogens. ELISA fees
may be higher depending on the number of tests requested.

The Plant Clinic Web site provides information such as service fees; data forms to accompany samples; directions for preparing and submitting a sample; directions to the clinic; and links to newsletters, publications, and other clinics. The Web address is http://plantclinic.cropsci.uiuc.edu/. Most plant specimens still arrive by mail. The mailing address (beginning May 2) is

Plant Clinic

1401 W. St. Mary’s Rd.

Urbana, IL 61802

The Plant Clinic can be reached at (217)333-0519. The service is available weekdays from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m.

Author: Nancy Pataky

 

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