Distance Diagnostics through Digital Imaging changes name to Plant and Pest Diagnostic eNetwork (PPDEN)

On the evening of December 3rd University of Georgia is scheduled to install several minor system upgrades and switch the name DDDI to PPDEN. The WSU PPDEN program homepage has already been switched over. (http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/ppden/index.html)

Please update your bookmarks...

Aquatic Plant Specialist Joins WSU Plant and Pest Diagnostic eNetwork

Several PPDEN members have expressed the need for assistance with aquatic plant id in the past so I wanted to get the word out that Jenifer Parsons from the Washington Department of Ecology has joined the network and now receives all samples marked as “Aquatic Plants and Weeds” on the PPDEN electronic submission form. Below this message is the current list of all PPDEN evaluators who are currently assigned a commodity. Email any commodity assignment /reassignment requests as well as evaluator recruitment suggestions to normdart@wsu.edu.

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WSU Plant and Pest Diagnostic eNetwork Evaluators (11/30/07)

Insect Identification
Todd Murray/WSU King County/Ornamentals, Home & garden (western Washington), Other
Mike Bush/WSU Yakima/ Tree fruits, Fruit and nut trees
Gwen Hoheisel/WSU Prosser/ Small fruits & grapes
Dave Bragg/Pomeroy/ Field crops, Vegetables, Home & garden (eastern Washington)
Jenny Glass/WSU Puyallup/Christmas trees
Eric LaGasa/WSDA Olympia/ Not formally assigned any commodities but frequently consulted

Plant/Weed Samples
Phil Petersen/WSU Pasco/ Weed or plant identification (eastern Washington)
Tim Miller/WSU Mount Vernon/ Weed or plant identification (western Washington)
Jenifer Parsons/WSDOE Yakima/ Aquatic weed or plant identification
Jenny Glass/WSU Puyallup/Other

Commercial Plant Disease Identification Discipline Management
Jenny Glass/WSU Puyallup/ Field crops, Herbaceous ornamentals, Fruit or nut trees, Small fruits, Vegetables, Woody ornamentals, Other

Ornamental Landscapes and Home Gardens Plant Problem Discipline Management
Jenny Glass/WSU Puyallup/ Herbaceous ornamentals, Fruit or nut trees, Small fruits, Vegetables, Woody ornamentals, Other

Lawn and Turfgrass Problem Discipline Management
Jenny Glass/WSU Puyallup/All

viewing picture thumbnails while submitting photos via DDDI

QUESTION "Hi Norm,Thank you for answering our question, they were very helpful. I forgot to ask you one more....as we enter a sample and attach a picture, we are unable to preview our picture. We thought it might be our computer settings but several of us have tried on various computers and are unable to view the photo. Thank you for your help,"

ANSWER: Hi Kris, the secret is to choose “thumbnails” in the choose file window as you browse for the picture. See the attached "screen shot" picture for guidance and let me know if this works on your computers…

Norm

Viewing host names and submitting samples into database

Hello Norm, Who knew diagnostics could be this much fun.?We are really having a fun time with DDDI—and the turnaround time for responses to samples that we can’t diagnose is really amazing! We have a few questions for you.....

The first question is when we log into our account and click on ‘samples submitted by San Juan County’ it lists samples by a sample number. Is there are way we can change this to include a sample number as well as the name if the plant such as "956 Beet plant problem diagnosis."

Our second question is how do we correctly upload samples into the system that WE have diagnosed. We submitted a sample and chose the option ‘NO’ (do not send to be evaluated) and that particular sample is listed separately waiting for review. Thanks for your help,Kris

ANSWERS:
Question 1- veiwing host names of recently submitted samples
Unfortunately there is no way to accomplish this right now, you are limited to either doing a free text search and putting the host in you want or building your own report to summarize the information. This is something we defiantly need to fix and will be something I request this year that the programmers in Georgia fix. Maybe it is something they can do for in the short term I’ll check. Preferably we just change how the samples are displayed and show the sample number, date submitted, date collected, type of problem, host, and diagnosis (if available). Then one could have the data sorted by sample number, collection date, host, and diagnosis (this space will say undiagnosed until it has been diagnosed). If you will attend the statewide conference call on Thursday please bring these issues up.

Question 2: Submitting samples into statwide database
You need to check “yes” to the question “has the sample been evaluated” this question is towards the bottom of the main sample for- by checking this you will be sent to directly to the evaluation console when you press submit. Make sure to choose digital if you plan to upload a picture and just physical if you don’t want to upload a picture when using this feature.

Taking Clearer Photos

I have noticed some of your pictures are a bit out of focus. I recommend two things when using the SONY Cybershot to take non-microscopic photos to aid with distance diagnostics:

1)Make sure the shaky hand stabilizer is pressed (directly to left of power button)

2)Make sure “macro” is enabled (Press “flower” icon button to right of view finder)


Keep up the good work!

Guide for submitting DDDI samples for arthropod identification

Click on the link above to find a nice tutorial on how to choose and take appropriate images for submitting DDDI samples for arthropod identification.

Viewing insects after enlarging images in DDDI

When I attempted to enlarge an insect shown on the Submitted Samples, the size of the view exceded the view screen. Since there was no right side bar, it was not possible to scroll down to see the insect body. Can you provide assistance so that viewers in our office can see all parts of the enlarged view.

Identify Client & Master Gardener

In the WSU Benton County Extension office, we would like the ability to collect both the name of the person who brought in a sample plus the name of the Master Gardener who entered the sample into the DDDI. Would the Company Contact serve this purpose? If so, then the re-occurring customer dropdown, which contains the "Client" name (sample owner) will become unmanageable rapidly. If the Client name is the Master Gardener, then the Company Contact would not be captured (and title seems inappropriate). How may this be handled?

P. ramorum stream find and using DDDI to screen samples

Under the Monitoring section in this months California Oak Mortality Task Force newsletter (www.suddenoakdeath.org.) there is an announcement of a recovery of P. ramorum from a King County waterway. With this new development it is more important than ever that if a high-risk foliar sample with P. ramorum-like symptoms is brought to your county office that you have it sent to the WSU Puyallup Plant Clinic for free diagnostic testing.

High-risk foliar samples include:
1)All rhododendrons and camellias purchased during or after 2003.
2)All known hosts directly along urban waterways 3)All known hosts that may have been irrigated with non-municipal water sources that have run through urban areas.

A host list is available at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/pram/downloads/pdf_files/usdaprlist.pdf

To learn what P. ramorum-like symptoms look like visit: http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/ppo/resources.html

For a pamphlet on how to package suspect samples for shipping and where to ship the samples to please visit: http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/ppo/pdf/Guide%20for%20Submitting%20Samples%20in%20Washington.pdf

If you are not sure whether a sample displays P. ramorum-like symptoms and if it meets other criteria qualifying it as “high-risk” you are encouraged to send preliminary digital samples via DDDI for an initial screening before you send it by mail.

Host index for pathogenic fungi

This may be a good resource for some aspiring plant pathologists who use the DDDI network. Type in a pathogen name to find all its known hosts or type in a plants name to find all its known pathogens...

Diagnostic help is only a click away this growing season

Article on DDDI from IllinoisFrom Subject Received
WSU DDDI Coordinator, Norm Dart [DDDI User Blog] Camera recommendations for using WSU DDDI 10:42 PM

Camera Recommendations for Distance Diagnostics

Plant Health Progress Diagnostic Guide: Bacterial Diseases of Dry Edible Beans in the Central High Plains

Western Plant Diagnostic Network- Regional Meeting Minutes (January 31, 2007):

New extension service lab helps rapidly identify pests, disease

March 28, Yakima Herald−Republic (WA)

It's called a seed bug, a specimen of which landed on Mike Bush's desk at Yakima County, WA's Cooperative Extension Service in the county courthouse. An extension Master Gardener had passed it on for Bush, an entomologist and tree fruit extension
agent, to identify. He may have an answer soon −− as in a day or so. The quick turnaround is the essence of a pest−and−disease identification network that now stretches throughout the state and the West. Extension agents, pathologists, entomologists and weed scientists are using digital images sent for identification. Bush said the old system of mailing specimens took two weeks or longer. The Distance Diagnostics Through Digital Imaging Network is funded by a Department of Homeland Security grant to quickly detect threats to agriculture. Norman Dart, extension coordinator for the network based at the Western Washington Research and Extension Center in Puyallup, said the project had its origins to combat biological terrorism. But it has taken on a broader approach to create a system to watch for disease−causing
organisms.
Source: http://www.yakima−herald.com/page/dis/288522109293836

DRAFT Approved References for Pest and Pathogen Management Recommendations for WSU Distance Diagnostic through Digital Imaging Evaluators

DRAFT of Approved References for Pest and Pathogen Management Recommendations for WSU Distance Diagnostic through Digital Imaging Evaluators: This document lists sources WSU DDDI has approved to direct clients to through the DDDI system. This document was adapted from the WSU Master Gardener Approved References for Pest Management Recommendations by Rod Tinnemore (Ver. 2/06). Please send comments or suggestions by April 7th.

Digitally Assisted Diagnostics (DAD) - Getting a Digital Image

Whether you are a just starting out or looking for some additional pointers, this is a good reference and guide for taking digital photos for plant pest and pathogen diagnostics via DDDI. The guide has a lot of information. I have gone through and highlighted points that I found particularly applicable in green. Note that Florida Extension refers to Distance Diagnostics through Digital Imaging (DDDI) as Digitally Assisted Diagnostics (DAD). Don’t let yet another acronym confuse you. Click on the title above to download this guide.

Sample Submission Steps for using WSU DDDI

Below is list of steps for using the DDDI system. This is a work in progress, DDDI account holders are encouraged to make corrections, add steps or create their own list of directions and post them here for using WSU DDDI.

Sample Submission Steps for using WSU DDDI as a diagnostic tool (steps 1-9) and/or a statewide plant disease database (steps 1-10)


1.Go to WSU DDDI homepage: http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/dddi/index.html

2.On left hand navigation bar click “ACCESS WSU DDDI”

3.Enter “Username”: __________ & “Password”:_______________ and click “Login”

4.Under “SUBMIT A SAMPLE” on the left hand navigation bar click on the description of the sample type that best describes your sample (i.e. Insect Sample, Commercial Plant Disease Identification….)

5.Enter all the required and applicable “client information” to the best of your ability. The client is the person who brought the sample into your county office or plant clinic for identification. The client’s information is only visible to you and the appropriate diagnosticians. Click the “Continue” button at the bottom of the page.

6.You are now on the “Sample submission form” page. Here you need to determine if the sample is “Digital only”, “Digital and Physical”, or Physical only” and check the appropriate response. If you choose “Digital only” or “Digital and Physical” you will be required to attach a photograph in order to submit your sample form.

7.Fill in other required and applicable fields to the best of your ability on the “Sample submission form”.

8.When you get towards the bottom of the “Sample submission form” you will be asked, “Has this sample been evaluated?”. If you or someone else has already evaluated the sample and you are entering the sample to store it in the DDDI database for future reference choose “Yes”. If you are not sure what the sample is and would like an expert to evaluate the sample click “No”. Only click “No” on samples you are not sure so as not to overrun the system evaluators.

9.If you chose “No” at step 8 you have finished submitting your sample and you must now wait for the diagnosis. If you chose “Yes” at step 8 please continue to step 10.

10.You are now at the page where you can enter the sample evaluation information. Enter the “Primary Diagnosis or Identification” by searching the DDDI database and fill in all other required and applicable fields to the best of your ability.

Utilizing Distance Diagnostics Through Digital Imaging System for Crop Problems

WSU DDDI March Pre-Growing Season Training

Please sign up! As of March 11th we only have 11 registered!

WSU DDDI 2007 Upgrades
March Pre-Growing Season TrainingThree DDDI training sessions are being offered by phone in combination with a live online demonstration. Sherri McElroy Clark from the University of Georgia will be walking us through new upgrades recently made to the WSU DDDI system which allow the system to function as a database as well as a diagnostic tool. Sherri is a DDDI developer and has been working closely with us over the past few months to improve the functionality of WSU DDDI. Bring all your DDDI questions to this informative training session.
To reserve a space send an email to normdart@wsu.edu with the date of the training you wish to attend. Those who reserve a space will be sent an email with a call in number and link to the live interactive demonstration the morning of the training.
Please signup for one of the following dates and times:
Monday March 12th, 10am-11am
Monday March 26th, 10am-11am
Friday March 30th, 10am-11am
Training Agenda:
• Improved Privacy with Flexibility
o Ability to keep confidential samples viewable only by submitter and appropriate diagnostician(s)
o Ability to change sample designation from private to shared at any time
• Expanded database functionality
o Ability to submit, store, and retrieve already evaluated samples
• Advanced data reporting capabilities
o Build your own report capabilities with ability to display grouped data, call up links to specific samples or download excel spreadsheets to sort data yourself.
o Ability to generate PDF reports for individual sample entries.
• Questions and discussion (as time permits)

How to use this post...

Please use this blog as a place to ask questions makes suggestions, exchange ideas and give advice.