Preparing Insect Specimens for Diagnosis
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Be careful in collecting insect specimens. Treat them gently and try not to squash them or damage them in any way. Insects should be killed just before submitting. This is easily accomplished by freezing the insects overnight. Do not put insects in alcohol
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Bring the sample to one of the WSU Master Gardener Plant Clinics in Benton
and Franklin Counties and complete the form Insect Diagnosis Request CO495 form available on-line for you here.
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Preparing
Plant Specimens for Disease Diagnosis
Select a plant specimen showing distinct disease
symptoms. If it's
not practical to send the entire plant, try to send several plants or plant
parts that show the various stages of the problem; a plant showing
the early stages of the disease, a plant that is severely affected. include
a healthy plant, if available.
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Diagram or describe any apparent patterns of damage. The plant pathologists
who make the diagnoses have to depend on you to know how the disease looked
at the site when the sample was taken.
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Dig up the entire plant where practical, including its root structure.
Try not to pull it out because diseased roots will be left behind.
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Tree diseases can best be diagnosed by evaluating the junction of diseased
and healthy tissue. Include twigs or limbs just beginning to show symptoms,
but still alive. Old, dead limbs are useless.
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Wrap the roots in a plastic bag separate from the rest of the plant to
prevent dirt from contaminating leaves and stems.
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Place the entire sample in another plastic bag without additional moisture,
as it also may cause contamination.
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Use a cup cutter to take lawn disease specimens, or cut the turf in squares
approximately 4 in. across and as deep as the roots will hold soil. Leave
the soil intact. DO NOT bring in smaller samples or pulled grass blades.
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Take the sample from the edge of the affected area so that the sample represents
healthy, slightly affected, and heavily damaged turf.
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Bring turf samples to the Master Gardener Clinic in Kennewick on a Monday
or Tuesday. If received later in the week, they will not be
shipped to the WSU Plant Clinic in Puyallup for further diagnosis until
the next week. This is to avoid deterioration of the sample
due to delays encountered with weekend mail delivery.
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Store samples in a refrigerator until immediately prior to sending.
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Submitting Plant & Weed Samples for Identification
Plants are identified in many ways. The most useful plant parts are
flowers, fruits, leaves, buds, and young stems. Because some ornamental plants have many varieties, it
may not be possible to determine the exact variety without the flower. With cultivated plants
it will often be difficult or impossible to accurately identify the plant
as to its cultivated variety. Complete the "Plant Identification Form" available from the WSU
Extension office.
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Collect as many plant parts as possible.
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Place samples in a zipper-type plastic bag (DO NOT add moisture as it may cause contamination and lead to mold)
and close.
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Store samples in the refrigerator until you are ready to deliver it.
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Charges for Diagnostic/Identification Services
There is no charge for the basic diagnostic services on samples submitted
to the Master Gardener Plant Clinics. However, WSU Extension publications
provided to home gardeners are available at current WSU Extension
prices.
If additional tests are desired by the home garden client and
the samples must be sent away for further testing, there may be a charge
for special diagnostic tests and/or postage.
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