Sampling Seedlings for Diagnosis
A good sample is critical for successful diagnosis. Recently, seedlings were received at OSU’s C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic. Diagnosticians often examine poorly packaged samples which arrive in poor condition.
Seedling samples are challenging to package and ship; they deteriorate rapidly. Send the entire tray if they are being produced as plugs or cut out a portion of the tray to allow samples to arrive in the best condition. If plugs are being removed from the tray wrap the roots and associated media in foil or plastic wrap to keep the media on the roots...