People can send tissue samples of an ailing plant to the lab for a diagnosis and management recommendations.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s for everyone,\u201d says Nick Goltz, the director of the Plant Diagnostic Laboratory and assistant extension educator. \u201cEveryone that has a plant in their life in some way or another, we are here for you. If plants are your livelihood, or you just have a plant in your office that\u2019s not looking so hot, we\u2019re here to help you, and we\u2019re really excited to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
This service costs $20 for members of the public and is free for professionals. Photos and inquiries about plant problems can also be send to homegarden@uconn.edu<\/a> for initial consultation free of charge.<\/p>\n Most samples come from Connecticut and the rest of New England, but the Plant Diagnostic Lab does sometimes process samples sent from farther away as well.<\/p>\n The lab, which is a member of the National Plant Diagnostic Network, also provides hot water seed treatment for certain seeds. This helps kill off pathogens that may be on the outside of the seeds but don\u2019t manifest until the plant starts to grow.<\/p>\n \u201cI clean them off, send them back, and then they have improved outcomes in terms of lower disease incidence,\u201d Goltz says. \u201cIt\u2019s especially useful for folks that keep their own seeds from year to year or are organic growers.\u201d<\/p>\n Since the opening of the Minor Center in May, the lab is expanding its services to include PCR testing. This will allow them to confidently identify certain common viral and bacterial pathogens, like Rose rosette disease, a virus that afflicts roses. Before, they had to send samples with this suspected pathogen, and certain others, to labs in other states for confirmation.<\/p>\n The lab will also be able to isolate nematodes, some of which are parasitic and damage roots, from soil.<\/p>\n \u201cWith our new, upgraded space, we\u2019ll have improved accuracy for isolating and identifying those organisms,\u201d Goltz says.<\/p>\n The new facility brings together several existing plant and soil-related services in CAHNR\u2019s Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture into a more specialized facility. These services include the Plant Diagnostic Laboratory, the Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory, the Turfgrass Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, and the Home \u00a0Garden Education Office.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really exciting to be in this new space because we\u2019re going to have really elevated collaboration opportunities between our different labs and also with the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, Extension, industry, and the community,\u201d Goltz says.<\/p>\n This work relates to CAHNR\u2019s Strategic Vision area focused on\u00a0<\/em>Ensuring a Vibrant and Sustainable Agricultural Industry and Food Supply.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n![\"Man](\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC07365-edited-1024x684.jpg\")