County Agent Training in Plant Disease Diagnosis

The Plant Disease and Insect Clinic and the Department of Plant Pathology announce agent training in plant disease diagnosis. The training will consist of four one-hour Elluminate sessions covering the basics of plant disease diagnostics and one all-day hands-on session. In order to accommodate as many County Agents as possible, the hands-on session will be held twice, on the 18th and 25th of March. All County Agents are encouraged to participate in the Elluminate sessions. Seating is limited to 20 people for each of the hands-on workshops. There is no fee for this training.

The training sessions and dates are as follows:

 February 16, 2011, 10:00 a.m.

Introduction to Plant Disease Diagnosis: Types of plant problems; signs and symptoms of plant diseases; the diagnostic process

February 23, 2011, 10:00 a.m.

Using the Plant Disease and Insect Clinic: Sample collection and submission; using the database; interpreting diagnostic results; resources and information

March 2 and March 9, 2011, 10:00 a.m.  (participate in both sessions)

Tips for diagnosing common plant diseases of specific crops and ornamental plants; recognizing diseases that threaten North Carolina agriculture and landscapes

March 18, 2011 and March 25, 2011, 8:30 – 4:30 (attend one all-day session only)

Hands-on workshop in plant disease diagnosis.

Sessions are limited to 20 County Agents each, with priority given to agents hired in the past five years. These sessions will illustrate signs and symptoms on live material in the laboratory and in the landscape, will demonstrate simple techniques that can be used by County Agents in the field or at their office to make a diagnosis, or to provide preliminary information to a PDIC diagnostician or Extension Specialist. The session will also provide training in digital photography skills as they apply to plant disease diagnosis. Agents will tour the PDIC and will “walk through” the process of diagnosing a clinic sample. Lunch, breaks, educational materials, and reimbursement of travel expenses (breakfast and mileage) will be provided.

Contact Barbara Shew at barbara_shew@ncsu.edu for more information or to sign up for the all day sessions.