In case you in need of identifying plant and pests this summer, you may want to get to know the Purdue Plant & Pest Diagnostic Lab (PPDL). The Lab received national attention recently with the New York Times article, So Your Plant Is Sick? Here’s How to Get a Diagnosis, that highlighted the Lab’s Disease Garden and the services of the PPDL.
Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab
The Purdue University Plant and Pest Diagnostic Laboratory (PPDL) works to diagnose plant diseases and identify insects, plants and weeds and other plant and pest problems. This service is provided for the specialists and county extension educators of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service and Purdue University’s research faculty, staff, and students as well as for private businesses and citizens of Indiana.
If you drop off a sample please leave it on the table outside of our office with your completed submission form. We will pick up the samples throughout the day. Please also consider sending photos using our upload forms.
*The PPDL and county extension offices DO NOT PROVIDE SOIL OR TISSUE TESTING. Please see our Publications page for a list of commercial labs.
Contact PPDL:
Tom Creswell, Lab Director
John Bonkowski, Plant Disease Diagnostician
Todd Abrahamson, Clerk IV
Plant and Pest Diagnostic Laboratory
Purdue University
915 Mitch Daniels Boulevard, LSPS 116
West Lafayette IN 47907-2054
Email: ppdl-samples@purdue.edu
Voice:765-494-7071
FAX: 765-494-3958
Website: https://ag.purdue.edu/department/btny/ppdl/
Image: Insect larvae of columbine leafminers feed between an Aquilegia leaf’s two epidermal layers, leaving behind squiggly tunnels. Photo Credit: Clifford Sadof, Purdue University
