UConn Plant Diagnostic Laboratory

It’s hard to tell what’s going on with this bleeding heart bush (Lamprocapnos spectabilis). Found while walking in my neighborhood.
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My two best guesses?
1️⃣: a viral infection from Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). CMV causes mosaic and distortion of leaves similar to these symptoms, and also distortion of flowers. The virus can be unevenly distributed through a bush, which could be the reason why some of the bush appears infected and other parts do not. I’d need to grab a sample from this bush to test it, but for now I’ll just leave it in my neighbor’s yard 😊.
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2️⃣: herbicide damage. A lawn herbicide or other chemical could have accidentally drifted to this bush and caused distortion of the leaves. Herbicide damage can cause problems especially when they are not applied in the right environmental conditions. Always be sure to read the label!
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While I probably will never know for sure, I can keep wondering 🧐
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#sick #plants #plantparent #shrub #bush #bleedingheart #landscape #herbicide #herbicidedamage #cucumbermosaicvirus #cmv #virus #gardening #gardens #uconnimpact #extension #iyph2020 #planthealthisyourhealth #diagnostics #lab #plantbased #ornamental #ornamentalplants ...

I like to call this hitting the plant pathology jackpot—finding alien looking cedar-apple rust galls on juniper trees. I’m extremely jealous of @annarboradventurer , who sent me these photos!
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Cedar-apple rust is one of the most stunning fungal diseases, and is caused by a pathogen with a complex lifecycle. The pathogen needs 2 hosts (one juniper related and one apple related) to complete its lifecycle, and looks dramatically different on each host. On cedar, you get to see these brilliant galls.
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These galls take two years to mature, and during rainy periods, orange, gelatinous spore horns are exuded. Spores are produced on the spore horns, and in some cases over a billion spores are produced by each horn. Spores can be spread several miles via wind, and if a spore lands on a susceptible apple leaf infection can occur. The disease is more severe on apple trees, and can reduce yields and significantly affect fruit quality.
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If you see these galls in the wild, its best to hand remove them before the spore horns emerge, especially if you’re nearby an orchard. Juniper trees will not die from this disease. Though, removal of galls or juniper trees in not fool proof because of how far the spores can spread. Link in bio for a disease factsheet.
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@uconnpsla gradstudent @coramcgehee recently posted about cedar-apple rust too: “These gnarly symptoms get most plant pathologists really excited.” I couldn’t agree more!!
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#cedar #apple #rust #plantpathology #rustdisease #juniper #malus #sick #plant #uconnimpact #planthealthisyourhealth #iyph2020 #galls #alien #sporehorn #spore #plantparent #plantparenthood ...

Have you ever seen these lesions on pachysandra and wondered what caused them?
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Volutella blight, caused by the fungus Volutella pachysandricola, is a common destructive disease to pachysandra. The pathogen thrives in wet conditions, and with all the rain we’ve been having this spring in the Northeast, it is no surprise that this fungus has been spreading.
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Pachysandra is well loved because of how successful it is as a ground cover, and folks usually keep it in very dense plantings. However, a dense planting culture actually increases humidity in the bed, providing idea environmental conditions for Volutella blight to develop and spread. Humans are often one of the most important contributors to plant diseases!
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Stressed plants are more susceptible to the disease. Because the fungus moves by water splash, only work in plantings when they are dry. Remove infected plants and destroy them (do not compost). Thin the planting to increase airflow, which helps them dry out quicker. Sanitize tools with a 10% bleach or 70% rubbing alcohol solution to not accidentally infect new plants. There are fungicide options to help manage Volutella blight, but will only be useful if these other mesasures are taken.
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1️⃣: lesions on pachysandra leaves
2️⃣&3️⃣:orange-pink sporulation of the fungus, which happens during wet and humid conditions
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#sick #plants #pachysandra #fungus #fungi #volutella #groundcover #garden #homegarden #landscape #landscapeplant #fungaldisease #plantparent #plantparenthood #farming #symptoms #symptomology #diagnostic #plantbased #gardening #gardens #iyph2020 #planthealthisyourhealth #plantpathology ...

Found this sample on my lunchtime walk around the neighborhood. Scale and sooty mold on holly (Ilex sp.).
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I’ve posted about scale before, and get a lot of questions about it. Scale is a piercing/sucking insect that colonizes hundreds of species of plants. While feeding on plant sap, scale produces a sticky secretion called honeydew. Sooty mold can grow and obtain nutrients from the honeydew. Sooty mold does not directly infect the plant, but in some cases it can cover leaf surfaces enough to affect the plant’s ability to make food for itself.
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In the case of this holly plant, the sooty mold won’t cause problems. If the leaves were entirely covered, I’d recommend you could washing them off using water.
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When you see sooty mold, this is an indication that you have a piercing/sucking insect issue. Inspect twigs, leaves, and branches for scale, aphids, and others.
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#holly #ilex #scale #sootymold #fungi #photosynthesis #plant #ornamentalplant #garden #walk #backyardnature #sick #plants #uconnimpact #extension #houseplant #houseplantclub #plantparent #plantparenthood #grower #nursery #entomology #insectsofinstagram #ilex #ornamentalplants #iyph2020 #planthealthisyourhealth ...

The Allium leaf miner (Phytomyza gymnostoma) was first reported in Connecticut in January 2020. Learn more about this pest and how to prepare for it this season.
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The allium leafminer is an Agromizyid, or leafmining fly, native to Poland and Germany. Allium crops, including leek, onion, shallot, chives, garlic, and green onion are susceptible. Some species of wild onion and ornamental alliums may be hosts as well, but the full host range is currently unknown.
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Adults lay eggs in the top of leek leaves between late March and May, making punctures in the tips of leaves. The larva mine the leaves, creating tunnels of damage as they eat. These tunnels provide good entryways for fungal and bacterial pathogens to cause more damage to the plant. Larva will move down to the bulb, where they pupate either in the plant or drop into the soil. The second generation will emerge in September to October, laying eggs in the leaves again, and this time the pupa will overwinter.
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Avoiding adult flies is one of the best prevention strategies. Covering all alliums prior to the emergence of adults (late March-May), may help exclude the pest. Delaying planting until after the adults have emerged, around mid-May, may be an effective strategy too.
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If an infestation occurs, rotate out of leeks and other alliums in that area. Use yellow sticky cards and/or yellow bowls w/ soapy water in infested fields. There are insecticides that may be effective for allium leaf miner control, but only for commercial plantings. Always check the pesticide label to confirm the crop is listed, the rates, and the days to harvest intervals.
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1️⃣: Adult allium leaf miner, emerging from puparia.
2️⃣: Puncture holes in the leaves.
3️⃣: Pupa of the allium leaf miner, and the tunnels the larva mine in the tissue.
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#sick #plants #allium #leafminer #alliumleafminer #leek #chives #onion #insect #fly #agriculture #vegetable #freshmarket #connecticut #ctgrown #planthealthishyourhealth #iyph2020 #entomology #plantbased #plantparent #plantparenthood #fly #pestalert #uconnimpact #croptalk ...

Edema is a common physiological condition of that can affect many types of plants. Luckily it is not infectious and will not spread to other plants.
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Here, we have edema on cabbage. Edema shows as blisters on the lower leaf surfaces, but sometimes upper leaf surfaces too. The blisters as a result of a buildup of water and solutes that causes cells to stretch and collapse. With the cool, wet, and gray spring we’ve been having in Connecticut, these provide ideal conditions for edema to develop if plants are holding onto water and not able to dry out.
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Many other plants like geraniums, green house tomatoes, jade, cauliflower, and pansies can experience edema as well.
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For management, use well draining media, consider using supplemental lighting to encourage drying, reduce humidity in the green house, and grow crops with similar water requirements near each other (to avoid over watering). Plants are capable of growing out of this condition! They’ll need to be watched closely and properly managed.
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📸: photo by @oxenhillfarm .
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#sick #plants #edema #horticulture #physiological #planthealthisyourhealth #iyph2020 #brassica #cabbage #geranium #plantbased #plantparent #plantpathology #plantparenthood #plantsofinstagram #plantcommunity #garden #gardens #farm #symptoms #diagnostic #spring #rain #uconnimpact ...

Have you been patiently awaiting your tulips to emerge, only to find them looking like this?🌷🤒
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These symptoms are caused by Botrytis, a fungus that thrives in cool, rainy weather. I’ve talked about Botrytis and raspberries before—Botrytis cinerea can infect many different species of plants. Without getting this sample into the lab🔬🧐, I don’t know for sure if these symptoms are caused by Botrytis tulipae, which only infects tulips. Identifying the difference can help you know if the fungus will spread throughout your yard or just infect your tulips. That’s why diagnostics are important!
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For management at home, remove and bag up infected plants to dispose of them🗑. Do not compost as at-home compost piles do not usually get hot enough to kill Botrytis spores. It’s best to avoid working infected plants when they’re wet, because the spores can easily spread to healthy plants. Some fungicides are available to preventatively spray for Botrytis in home plantings, and there are more options for commercial plantings.
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Photos by: @leahagross
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#tulip #tulips #garden #gardening #victorygarden #springgarden #spring #uconnimpact #fungus #sick #plants #plant #plantpathology #agriculture #farming #symptoms #symptomology #diagnostic # #plantparent #plantparenthood #plantbased #garden #gardening #gardens #iyph2020 #planthealthisyourhealth ...

Today, we’re back to talking about viruses. Just like COVID-19 disease (SARS-CoV-2 virus) is spread from person to person, plant viruses are infectious and spread from plant to plant as well.
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Most plant viruses require a vector to be spread. A vector is an organism that does not cause disease itself, but carries an infectious agent from one host to another. Vectors can include insects, parasitic plants, nematodes, and even humans.
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Aphids can be frustrating pests, and they’re also great virus transmitters--many plant viruses are spread by 100+ species of aphids. Aphids insert their needle-like mouth parts into plants to feed. If the plant is infected, virus particles adhere to the aphid’s stylet, and it can take only seconds to minutes of feeding for the aphid to be infective to new plants.
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Because hundreds of species of weeds can be alternative hosts to plant viruses, weeds surrounding gardens and fields can be important sources of plant viruses as well.
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1️⃣:Oleander aphids feeding on milkweed, found in a community garden.
2️⃣: Black spindle-thistle aphid colony feeding on scotch thistle, found near a potato field.
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#sick #plants #virus #viruses #plantvirus #milkweed #thistle #aphid #vector #plantpathology #agriculture #farming #mosiac #symptoms #symptomology #diagnostic #elisa #uconnimpact #plant #plantparent #plantparenthood #plantbased #garden #gardening #gardens #iyph2020 #planthealthisyourhealth ...

While the Diagnostic Lab may temporarily be closed for physical sample submissions, I’m still accepting photo submissions, DMs, story mentions, and emails! Send me your questions.
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One note—if your profile is private, I won’t be able to see your story mention, so use DM instead.
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In the mean time, I’m using house plants to keep teaching while social distancing. We can get through this together.
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#sick #plants #quarantine #covid #covi̇d19 #gardening #victorygarden #houseplant #athome #planthealth #iyph2020 #plantparent #plantparenthood #socialdistancing #digitallearning #uconnimpact #planthealthisyourhealth ...

A few of my favorite signs of spring in Connecticut:
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1️⃣: Forsythia
2️⃣: Daffodil and double daffodil
3️⃣-5️⃣: crocuses is real life and watercolor
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#spring #flower #flowers #forsythia #daffodils #daffodil #crocus #bloom #beauty #springflowers #aprilshowers #plant #plantbased #plantparent #nursery #landscape #shrub #bulb #landscaping #iyph2020 #planthealthisyourhealth ...

As a plant pathologist, I work with plant viruses. Let’s take a look at Potato virus Y as an example.
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Potato virus Y is one of the oldest known plant viruses, and the 5th most economically important plant virus in the world, meaning that it can cause a lot of damage. Hundreds of plants can infected by PVY including potato, tomato, pepper, eggplant, tobacco, and many species of weeds. .
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Historically, PVY has been easy to detect in fields because of the beautiful mosaic symptoms it causes on foliage. On potatoes, other symptoms include veinal necrosis, deformed or rotting (necrotic) potatoes, and up to 70% yield losses. The best management is to remove visibly infected plants as soon as you see the symptoms in the field.
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However, new strains of PVY have evolved to make it more difficult to notice an infection until it is too late to do anything about it. Viruses are capable of evolving to change the symptoms they induce in hosts in order to continue to thrive.
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Just like COVID-19 disease (SARS-CoV-2 virus) is spread from person to person, plant viruses are infectious and spread from plant to plant as well. Tune in tomorrow for more about how plant viruses are transmitted. .
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1️⃣: Mosaic symptom on a blooming potato plant
2️⃣: More mosaic
3️⃣: Veinal necrosis on the lower leaf surface
4️⃣: Symptomless (asymptomstic) potato leaves
5️⃣: Deformed potato tubers
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#sick #plants #virus #viruses #potato #potatoes #potatovirusy #plantpathology #agriculture #farming #mosiac #symptoms #symptomology #diagnostic #elisa #uconnimpact #plant #plantparent #plantparenthood #plantbased #garden #gardening #iyph2020 #planthealthisyourhealth ...

Given the coronavirus pandemic, I wanted to do a mini-series about viruses to share a little more on these infectious agents.
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🤔What is a virus? 🤔
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A virus has a very simple makeup. It is just a piece of DNA or RNA, a protein coat, and in some cases a fatty (lipid) layer. The protein coat provides protection for the piece of genetic information (DNA or RNA), and can code for different functions when the virus infects a host organism.
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Viruses have preferred hosts. There are viruses that infect people, plants, animals,fungi, bacteria, and other organisms. The viruses that infect plants do not infect people. However, viruses that infect animals can sometimes mutate to also infect humans. These viruses are called zoonotic, and just one example is SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the pandemic spread of COVID-19 (the disease caused by this virus).
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Viruses are considered neither alive nor dead. Viruses do not consist of cells or have any components to carry out basic functions on their own. They rely on the cell functions of their host to replicate. They hijack their host’s cells to operate in a way that allows the virus to thrive.
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For this exact reason, viruses have a biological incentive to keep their hosts alive. If their hosts die, the virus can no longer replicate. Viable virus particles can exist on a surface, such as a table. But without a host, the virus can not cause disease or infection.
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The first virus to be crystallized and therefore each of its parts were able to be studied, was actually a plant virus, Tobacco mosaic virus. Rosalind Franklin made this discovery in 1955.
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Since then, thousands of new viruses have been described. Check out how different viruses can look:

1️⃣Tobacco mosaic virus, infects thousands of plant species (M. Zailtin)
2️⃣SARS-CoV-2, infects people and bats (Alissa Eckert; Dan Higgins)
3️⃣Ranavirus, a genus of viruses that infects fish, reptiles, and amphibians (Australian Animal Health Laboratory)
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#sick #plants #virus #viruses #coronavirus #plantdisease #whatisavirus #whatareviruses #rosalindfranklin #dna #rna #proteincoat #plantbased #plantparent #iyph2020 #planthealthisyourhealth ...

Grape downy mildew can be a serious disease of grape 🍇plantings in both home and commercial settings. It is caused by Plasmopara viticola, a oomycete pathogen that thrives in mild temperatures and wet, humid conditions💧☔️.
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Grape downy mildew is named for the downy or fluffy ☁️appearance of spores, which can be seen where it infects flowers, leaves, fruit, and stems. The upper leaf surface will first turn yellow and then necrotic in patches where the spore are present.
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When fruit is infected early, young shoots will have a “shepherd’s crook” appearance.
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The pathogen will not infect if the temperatures are above 86 degrees F, so this disease is more important to look out for during early summer☀️ and early fall🍂🍁.
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#sick #plants #grape #grapes #grapedownymildew #grapevine #viticulture #vineyard #winery #plant #pathology #oomycete #fungus #fungi #plantparent #plantparenthood #plantbased #lab #laboratory #sciencenerd #epidemiology #gardening #homevineyard #wine #iyph2020 #planthealthisyourhealth ...