As the world slows down around us and we are practicing social distancing, the Plant & Pest Diagnostic Clinic is preparing to slow down as well. We are hopeful that by the time growing season gets fully underway that we will back to operating as normal.

Starting Monday, March 23, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln recommended that all university employees work from home to avoid spreading the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). This includes the P&PDC employees.

Mail service has also been disrupted, which will prevent samples from arriving in a timely manner. If you or a client is planning to, or has already mailed a sample, please let us know so that we can find a work around.

Diagnostic Support Alternatives

In the meantime, we are more than happy to provide diagnostic support and management recommendations through pictures and description of symptoms. If we are unable to provide diagnosis based on an image, we will be happy to work with you to find a solution that may include use of a 3rd party diagnostic clinic.

Our plant diagnostician can be reached via email (kbroderick2@unl.edu) or calls/text messages (402-641-1273). While it can be difficult to identify a disease based solely on pictures, we will strive to identify what we can. Additionally, some commercial labs will remain open, which can be used for viral disease detection. Insect identification, plant/weed identification, herbicide injury, and nutritional deficiency pictures may also be sent via email or text message.

Thank you in advance for your patience during this unique time. Please help spread the word to cooperators and growers in your area, and do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions or concerns.