Outreach program with elementary school students.

Outreach is an important focus of the Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Department. As part of our land grant mission we strive to educate agricultural producers to manage plant diseases in a way that is economically and environmentally sustainable. We have a strong emphasis on integrated pest management. We also educate the general public on issues like plant disease identification and disease management, disease-resistant varieties, sustainable cultural practices, and appropriate use of fungicides and GMO crops.

You can browse our many extension publications (including pest management guides, fact sheets and handbooks) or view a list of books written by our faculty. Department web sites that support public outreach are listed below.

• Vegetable MD Online
  Vegetable MD Online helps ordinary people and farmers identify and manage plant diseases. Users can browse many color photos sorted by crop and disease and consult vegetable disease fact sheets for recommendations.
• Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic
  The Clinic provides plant disease diagnostic services for anyone interested in plant diseases. Our services include analysis of plant material and soil for bacterial, fungal, viral, and nematode pathogens as well as suggesting appropriate control measures.
• CU Plant Pathology Herbarium (CUP)
  A museum research collection of over 400,000 preserved specimens of plant diseases and fungi. It holds over 60,000 images of agricultural history, people, plant diseases, and fungi. CUP is the 4th largest fungal herbarium in North America.
• Branching Out
  An IPM Newsletter for Trees and Shrubs that provides timely information on tree care and pest management.

• Cornell Mushroom Blog
  An online magazine of stories about fungi written by Cornell faculty and students.

• Department Photo Lab
  A technical and artistic resource for scientific photography in the digital age.

• Glossary of Technical Terms in Plant Pathology
    Definitions and pronunciation guide of important terms in plant disease management.

• Northeast Plant Diagnostic Network
  The Northeast Plant Diagnostic Network (NEPDN) is a coordination center for monitoring invasive plant diseases and insects.

• Gary C. Bergstrom (Professor) Disease management for field crops

• Margery Daughtrey (Senior Extension Associate) Disease management in ornamentals

• George W. Hudler (Professor) Disease management of trees and shrubs; Christmas trees

• James W. Lorbeer (Professor) Disease management of crops grown on organic soils

• Margaret T. McGrath (Associate Professor) Disease management of vegetable crops

• Karen L. Snover-Clift (Senior Extension Associate) Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic; 4H Program; NE Plant Diagnostic Network

• Thomas A. Zitter (Professor) Disease management for vegetable crops