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