In 1965, the plant diagnostic clinic was established to support county extension specialists as well as private citizens, businesses and other agencies. The clinic handles samples submitted for disease, insect, and weed identification, providing management recommendations as well. Most clinic operations are handled by clinic staff, however other Division of Plant Science Agronomy, Entomology, Horticulture, and Plant Microbiology and Pathology extension faculty handle insect and weed identification and assist when needed. Please see our website at http://soilplantlab.missouri.edu/plant/index.htm for more information about the plant diagnostic clinic, sample submission, and fees.

Charcoal rot. Photo provided by Simeon Wright.

In 2005, most samples were submitted through the mail while some were personally delivered to the clinic. A few digital photos were also submitted by e-mail. Samples were submitted from 80 Missouri counties with Boone County submitting the most samples (15 percent). Over 80 percent of the samples were received between May and September, although the clinic received samples all year.

Disease diagnostic samples

In 2005, a greater portion of our samples were from field crops compared with recent years. While 70 percent of field crop samples submitted were soybean, we also received corn, oats, tobacco, and wheat. The most frequent diagnosis of soybean samples included charcoal rot, Fusarium root rot and Septoria brown spot. Other soybean problems frequently submitted included frogeye leaf spot, Phytophthora root and stem rot, potassium deficiency, Rhizoctonia root and stem rot, spider mites, and sudden death syndrome. Our most

Septoria brown spot. Photo provided by Simeon Wright.

common corn sample submission was potassium deficiency, and from wheat our most frequent diagnosis included Septoria leaf blotch and leaf rust. The clinic saw an increase in sample volume in 2005 over the previous year. We hope to increase this number significantly again in 2006 to better serve the people of Missouri and consequently look forward to any samples you are able to send. You are also welcome to submit insect and weed samples for identification and management information. The more samples the clinic receives, the more information we all have about the plant problems occurring in Missouri.

Questions

If you have any questions about fees, how to submit samples, or turn-around time see our website at: http://soilplantlab.missouri.edu/plant/index.htm.

You can also contact the lab at plantclinic@missouri.edu or 573-882-3019.

Simeon Wright
Coordinator, Plant Diagnostic Clinic
573-882-3019