March 2020: Plant Disease Diagnostics in the Time of COVID-19

Last Update: June 18, 2021

Over the past week, reports of COVID-19 in Wisconsin have increased dramatically.

To help keep PDDC customers and staff safe, I am making changes to the way the PDDC delivers services.

Below is a list of what will change, and what will remain the same.

I will update this list as UW-Madison and PDDC policies change.

Update 6/18/2021

The PDDC continues to accept walk-in samples delivered to the shelving unit in the hallway outside the clinic (Rm. 183 Russell Labs). However, clinic staff will not be available to interact with clients. Anyone entering Russell Labs who has not been vaccinated for COVID-19 is required to wear a mask and practice social distancing (6 ft. between people). For additional details on the procedure for submitting digital samples online and physical samples (either in-person or via mail), please see the 12/28/20 update below.

Update 4/30/2021

Starting May 10, 2021, the PDDC will once again be accepting walk-in samples delivered to the shelving unit in the hallway outside the clinic (Rm. 183 Russell Labs). However, due to continued concerns about COVID-19, clinic staff will not be available to interact with clients. Also, anyone entering Russell Labs is required to wear a mask and practice social distancing (6 ft. between people). For additional details on the procedure for submitting digital samples online and physical samples (either in-person or via mail), please see the 12/28/20 update below.

Update 12/28/2020

As we enter into 2021, COVID-19 continues to be of concern. Therefore, physical sample submissions to the PDDC will continue to follow the same protocol and prioritization as outlined in my update of April 24, 2020 (see below). The only changes for the new year are that the PDDC will now charge a $20 fee for digital diagnostics, and there will be a $5 increase in the base fee for physical samples. Check the PDDC website for a complete fee schedule. To submit photos for a digital diagnosis, check out the PDDC Digital Diagnosis Submission Page. When submitting physical samples, be sure to include a PDDC submission form.

Update 4/24/2020

The PDDC has been authorized to begin accepting physical samples again. However, clinic staffing and hours will be limited, and the number of samples that the clinic will be able to accommodate will be severely restricted.

Before submitting a sample, you must contact the PDDC using the PDDC Digital Diagnosis form, by emailing the PDDC at pddc@wisc.edu, or by calling 608-262-2863. If you use the clinic online form or email the clinic, please include photos whenever possible. Based on this initial contact, clinic staff will determine if a digital diagnosis is possible or if a physical sample submission is needed.

Even with prescreening, the PDDC will likely not be able to accommodate all samples that would normally require submission of a physical samples. As needed, physical sample submissions will be prioritized as follows:

Commercial production food and agriculture-related samples (e.g., vegetables, fruits, field and forage crops);
Commercial/homeowner samples of regulatory importance (e.g., late blight, boxwood blight);
Commercial production, non-food samples (e.g., nursery, greenhouse samples);
Homeowner food samples (e.g., vegetables, fruits);
Commercial/homeowner non-production, non-food samples (e.g., trees, shrubs, herbaceous ornamentals).

Certain regulatory samples (e.g., sudden oak death/Ramorum blight) will be redirected to the Plant Industry Lab at WI DATCP.

Digital diagnoses will continue to be provided free of charge. Normal clinic fees will apply to any physical samples submitted to the PDDC.

Update 3/28/2020

Until further notice, the PDDC will not be accepting any physical samples for diagnosis. Customers are welcome to continue submitting questions and/or digital photos to the PDDC using the PDDC Digital Diagnosis form.

Update 3/18/2020

CALS administration has closed the Russell Labs building to visitors. PDDC customers may only submit samples by mail.

Plant Disease Diagnostics

We will still accept samples for diagnosis.
You can still submit your diseased plants by mail.
The building is locked, so you can no longer drop off samples in person.
I am discontinuing in-person consultations about samples.
I will continue to mail out hard copies of reports and invoices. If you prefer I email your results, please note this on your submission form.

Presentations

All in-person PDDC presentations are cancelled until further notice.
Instead, I can provide presentations on a number of topics via remote learning.
- Learn more about the topics offered on the Educational Talks for the General Public page on the PDDC website.
- Call me at 608-262-2863 or email me at pddc@wisc.edu to learn more about possible remote learning options (e.g. teleconferencing/videoconferencing, etc.).

Online Resources

The Wisconsin Disease Almanac (weekly updates of my PDDC diagnoses) will continue.
Monthly web articles will continue.
University of Wisconsin Garden Facts (Fact Sheets) – updates and additions will continue.
New online training modules may be added based on my current presentations. See the existing IPM Scout School and Master Gardener training modules for examples of the format.
As I release new training modules, I will announce them via Twitter or Facebook (search on UWPDDC), or if you are one of my Extension colleagues, via email at pddc@wisc.edu.

Consultations

In-person consultations are discontinued until further notice.
Phone (at 608-262-2863) and email (at pddc@wisc.edu) channels are still open. Digital photos showing the disease problems are welcome, please attach them to your email. I may not be able to make a formal diagnosis from your photos, but I will do my best.

Most of All…

Stay safe everyone! I wish you well in the challenging days ahead!!

Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic