Resources

Guidance for submitting samples

Plant

Select tissue containing disease affected and unaffected areas. Avoid sending plant tissue that is completely dead or rotten.

• Whole plant: Collect entire plant, when possible. Dig plant, rather than pull, from the ground to avoid damaging the roots. Place roots in plastic bag containing all roots from the base of the plant and below.
• If you cannot collect the entire plant, collect diseased tissue and healthy tissue of similar plant part (i.e. leaves, stems, roots). For foliage, wrap in dry paper towel and place in sealed plastic bag. For root samples, keep some soil with roots place in sealed plastic bag.

Soil

Sampling soil, pre-planting, can provide knowledge on the effectiveness of crop rotation strategies and enable accurate judgments as to whether in furrow or fumigation treatments are required. Grid sampling is usually most appropriate. At least 10 cores per acre is recommended. Sampling should be to a depth of 12 inches, using a hand trowel or soil probe.

Cores should be collected in a bucket or a large bag and thoroughly homogenized before taking a 500 g (approx. one pound) subsample from the bucket and placed in a labeled ziplock bag. If samples are not shipped or delivered immediately, they should be kept in a refrigerator.