Source: NCSU COOPERATIVE EXTENSION, 4/16/20
 

The NC State Plant Disease and Insect Clinic (PDIC) has been approved to open under modified operations in order to serve clients while maintaining safe work practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. For turf samples, please visit the Turf Diagnostics Lab web page for information on their operations. 

We will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. beginning April 21, 2020. The following guidelines are being put into place for the safety of our personnel and to maximize our efforts on a reduced schedule:

=        We will not receive clients at the door or allow samples to be dropped off in person. The outside door to Gardner Hall will continue to be locked.

=        All samples must be sent by mail or other delivery services (UPS, FedEx, etc.). It is best to send samples that will arrive earlier in the week, as packages that arrive later may deteriorate before we can retrieve them.

=        To help clinic personnel track incoming samples, it is beneficial to provide us with details about when packages are shipped, the method or carrier, and expected delivery date on the online sample submission form (provided in the comments section).

=        We will not be accepting out-of-state samples.

=        We will not be accepting physical samples from home and commercial landscapes.*

=        Please limit physical sample submissions to situations where significant damage is occurring or is likely to occur. If the issue at hand is causing only minor damage, or if you have any doubt about potential damage, feel free to submit it as a digital image sample for clinic personnel to assess remotely.

=        If possible, we encourage digital image samples be submitted in lieu of a physical sample. Furthermore, images are important to augment physical samples that are submitted.

Because of our limited operating hours, not all of our normal assays will be possible, and diagnostic results may take longer than usual. Please feel free to contact us throughout the process for updates.

Thank you for your continued patience during this difficult time. We hope to help our clients as best as possible, however we can.

*If you are unsure whether your sample will be accepted or not, please contact the clinic by phone during the operating hours stated above (919-515-3619) or by email anytime (plantclinic@ces.ncsu.edu)