Gail Ruhl, Interim P&PDL Director/Senior Plant Disease Diagnostician

Due to State budget deficits, on September 1, 2002, the Plant and Pest Diagnostic lab was downsized by the removal of it’s full-time Director, Dr. Peggy Sellers. Dr. Sellers assumed a new position as Master Gardener State Coordinator in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. Gail Ruhl was asked to serve as Interim Director of the P&PDL while continuing her responsibilities as Senior Plant Disease Diagnostician.

The staff of the Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab, along with other cooperating Extension Specialists in the Departments of Botany and Plant Pathology, Entomology, Horticulture and Forestry diagnosed 1793 physical samples and 262 digital images during 2002. The majority of samples were received during the months of June, July and August (Figure 1). Same day service was provided for 12% of the samples received during 2002 and 37% of the samples were completed in three days or less. A total of 78% of the samples received during 2002 were diagnosed within five working days (Figure 2).

The most common commodities submitted to the P&PDL were woody ornamentals (37%), followed by flowers (20%), and agronomic crops (10%). The remaining 34% of samples were distributed among various other commodity groups including turf, vegetables, fruit and problems from homes/buildings. Noninfectious disorders (42%), infectious diseases (31%), and arthropod-related problems (19%) were the most common primary diagnoses in 2002 (Figure 3).

The P&PDL was represented by its staff at a number of State extension activities including, but not limited to the Indiana Horticulture Congress, the Indiana Flower and Patio Show, and the Indiana State Fair. P&PDL staff members also participated in a variety of Purdue University sponsored events and educational programs such as Garden Day, Springfest, Master Gardener Training, Turf and Ornamentals Workshops, Pesticide Applicator Training, Plant Science Workshop, 4-H Round-Up & Career Exploration, and Certified Crop Advisor Training.

A pilot project on digital diagnostics, funded by Purdue's 21st Century Extension Initiative, was completed in 2002. This project provided a selected group of educators with the necessary tools (digital camera, microscopes and training materials) to enhance their ability to provide fast, accurate diagnosis to their clientele via submission of quality digital images to the Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab. A standard, web-based method of submitting digital samples to the P&PDL was tested by selected educators during this pilot project. During 2002, county Educators submitted 262 digital samples via the web-based system.

A similar standard web-based method of submitting digital samples to the P&PDL will be available to all educators as well as the general public in 2003. Digital samples submitted to the Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab will be assessed the same $11 (in-state) and $22 (out-of-state) charge as physical samples. There will be no additional charge for any follow-up physical samples that might be requested by diagnosticians who require more detail for an accurate identification or diagnosis of the problem than is provided by the digital images submitted.