Vegetables and Herbs

 (please follow this link if you suspect Late Blight in potatoes or tomatoes)

Vegetables and Herbs are scientifically defined as those plants that produce edible structures that are not reproductive in nature, which means that we eat the stems and leaves not the fruit. However, this definition does not follow the public's distinction between what is considered a fruit and what is considered a vegetable. Using this definition, tomatoes and peppers are considered fruit but most people refer to them as vegetables. For our purposes, we will use the public's perception of these plants to distinguish between them.Vegetables and Herbs are those plants that produce edible structures and are grown as annual crops. They are often produced in a large scale field operations as well as in backyard gardens. Vegetables by this definition include tomatoes, peppers, and pumpkins and herbs include plants such as rosemary, basil, and thyme.

Vegetable and Herb Factsheets are available to view or download. They list useful information about a specific plant disease and provide sympton descriptions and any available control recommendations. Most of the factsheets available in the vegetable section are retrieving information available at the "Cornell University Vegetable MD Online" web site. To go directly to the web site, click here.
How to Submit a Vegetable or Herb Sample:

(Also check out the Sample Submission page for important additional information)

Most Samples: If you know you are submitting a Nematode Sample:
  • The sample to be submitted should contain all parts of the plant when possible.
  • If the specimen is too large to submit the whole plant, send as much of the plant tissue as reasonably possible.
  • Including a photograph of the specimen or of the field/garden is often very helpful.
  • Wrap the sample in a paper bag and package it in a sturdy box.
  • If submitting fruit, wrap it in paper, place it in a small plastic bag, secure it with a twist tie, and surround it with crumpled paper in the box to protect it during shipping.
  • It is important that you try to collect the sample prior to any pesticide applications. Once pesticides have been applied it may be difficult to obtain an accurate diagnoses.
  • It is helpful if the sample is taken from an area that has early symptoms of the problem. Areas that are completely dead often contain a number of secondary organisms that may hinder the detection of the primary pathogen.
  • The best time of year for nematode analyses is during the active growing season.
  • A minimum of 6 soil sub-samples, approximately 1" in diameter and 4" in depth, should be collected from an area that is approximately one acre in size.
  • If sampling from an individual specimen, collect the soil sub-samples from within the the direct vicinity of the plant.
  • The sub-samples should be collected randomly throughout the area, then mixed together thoroughly and about a pint of this soil mixture transferred to a plastic bag for submission.

Mail the sample as quickly as possible! If the sample can not be mailed immediately, keep it refrigerated or out of direct sunlight.

When submitting samples for analysis, please keep a few things in mind:
  • Always fill out the "Submission Form". Providing as much information on the form as possible will help in ensuring an accurate diagnosis of the problem. Make sure you include the form with your sample.
  • You may want to keep a copy of the form for your own records.
  • Please feel free to call the clinic with any questions prior to your sample submission.
  • For faster response, include your fax number or email address and indicate how you would prefer to receive the results.
  • Please include a check for the appropriate fee made out to Cornell University.
PDDC Homepage, Department of Plant Pathology, Fees, Sample Submission, Diagnostic Fact Sheets, Cornell University, CALS, Cornell Cooperative Extension, IPM in New York State, Plant Pathological Terms, Vegetable MD Online website