Grower Services

Diagnostics

Sending Samples to the Lab & Links to Diagnose Problem Plants

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) looks at crops as part of a larger ecosystem and attempts to restore balance within that system by considering all options before taking action. Accurate pest identification, diagnosis and monitoring are crucial to IPM strategies, which integrate cultural, biological and chemical solutions to grow a crop with minimal use of pesticides.The following links provide information to help diagnose plant problems.

Floriculture Diagnostic Services

The Floriculture Disease Diagnostic Lab is located in Holdsworth Hall (as of February 2006). Commercial flower growers who have a problem with their crop and are in need of diagnostic services should contact one of the following specialists directly:

Diseases - Dr. Rob Wick, Bess Dicklow, Tina Smith, Paul Lopes
Insects - Dr. Roy Van Driesche, Tina Smith, Paul Lopes
Plant nutrition - Dr. Doug Cox

How to Send Samples to the Diagnostic Lab

If you do not know the general cause of the problem, contact Dr. Rob Wick, Bess Dicklow, Tina Smith or Paul Lopes. The fee for diagnosis is $50 per sample. Upon reaching a conclusion, the lab will call or send a report on the diagnosis and recommendations. Always call Dr. Wick (413) 545-1045 or Bess Dicklow ((413-545-3209) first to see if sending a specimen is necessary, or to inform them that one is being sent. Samples should be hand delivered if possible or sent overnight mail along with the form below.

Plant Diagnostic Form

Print and complete this form and include with each sample. Send several plants or leaves showing a range of symptoms that are representative of the problem. If a specimen can be delivered to the lab in less than 48 hours, it can be placed in a plastic bag. Do not add water. When entire plants are sent, wrap roots and attached soil in a plastic bag and secure to the stem with a twist tie. Avoid sending plant material that is completely dead.

Send samples to:

Bess Dicklow
UMass Extension Plant Diagnostic Lab
160 Holdsworth Way
Holdsworth Natural Resources Center
University of Massachusetts, Amherst MA 01003

The following links provide information to help diagnose plant problems.

Photo Library
Photo Library - Pictures and descriptions of greenhouse plant problems to supplement the pest management guide.

Insects, Mites & Diseases
New England Greenhouse Floriculture Guide (Order form) Descriptions, lifecycles and Management
Pest Management and Identification UC Davis

Diseases
Plant Disease Facts Penn State
Fact Sheets on Diseases UC Davis
Agdia Test Kits and Diagnostic Services Disease test kits are sold for on site disease detection
Hydros Inc Disease test kits are sold for on site disease detection

Insects, Mites
Free Insect Identification (Send samples to USDA lab)
A Guide to Insects and Related Pests of Floricultural Crops in New England Contains pictures and lifecycles of greenhouse pests, available from the UMass Exension Bookstore
Fact Sheets on Insects University of Massachusetts

Plant Nutrition
Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms North Carolina State University

Growth Regulator Overdose
Symptoms of Growth Regulator Overdose North Carolina State University

UMass Extension Greenhouse Crops and Floriculture