How to Find Resources for Detecting and Identifying Plant Diseases
The Most Comprehensive Canadian Plant Diagnostic Institution Sharing
With spring approaching, as avid gardeners, we find ourselves with a long to-do list: addressing hardscaping issues, tackling spring cleanup, testing and nourishing garden soil, and more. And once we’ve planted our seeds and see them sprout and grow, new questions inevitably arise.
For those new to gardening, it’s easy to feel frustrated when plants don’t appear healthy, yet you’re unsure how to help them thrive. Just as you’d seek medical advice when feeling unwell, your plants too can benefit from diagnosis and treatment.
Here are some organizations where you may ask for help.
If you live in Ontario, you can contact either the Ottawa Plant Laboratory, or the Plant Disease Clinic at University of Guelph.
- The Ottawa Plant Laboratory
3851 Fallowfield Road
Ottawa, ON
K2J 4S1 - Plant Disease Clinic
University of Guelph
95 Stone Road West
Guelph ON N1G 2Z4
If you live in BC, you can contact British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food .
- Plant Diagnostic Laboratory
17720 – 57th Avenue
Surrey, British Columbia V3S 4P9
If you live in Alberta, you can contact Alberta Plant Health Lab.
- Alberta Plant Health Lab Crop Diversification Centre
North 17507 Fort Road NW
Edmonton Alberta T5Y 6H3
Email : [email protected]
If you live in Manitoba, you can contact AGR/MASC Service Centre.
- Crop Diagnostic Centre Manitoba Agriculture Agricultural Services
Complex 201 – 545 University Crescent
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 5S6
Tel: (204) 945-8220
If you live in Saskatchewan, you can submit plant diagnostics request here on the website of University of Saskatchewan.
- Saskatchewan Crop Protection Laboratory
1610 Park Street,
Regina, SK, S4N 2G1
Tel: 306-787-8130
If you live in Nova Scotia, you can submit your request here.
- Nova Scotia Agriculture & Food Protection
176 College Road,
Truro, NS B2N 2P3
Tel: 902-893-6565
If you live in New Brunswick, you may want to contact Perennia.
- 28 Aberdeen Street,
Kentville, Nova Scotia B4N 2N1
Tel: 902-678-7722
Email: [email protected]
If you live in PEI, please contact PEIAL (PEI Analytical Laboratories)
- BioCommons Park,
23 Innovation Way,
Charlottetown, PE C1E 0B7
Tel: 902-620-3300, (902) 368-5261
If you live in Newfoundland, you can contact Memorial University Botanical Garden for any gardening questions or plant ID.
- Memorial University Botanical Garden
306 Mt Scio Rd,
St. John’s, NL A1B 4L6
Email: [email protected]
If you live in Quebec, you can contact Laboratoire d’expertise et de diagnostic en phytoprotection.
- Complexe scientifique
2700, rue Einstein, D.1.200h
Québec (Québec) G1P 3W8
Tél. : 418 643-5027, poste 2700
Téléc. : 418 646-6806
If you would love to explore more, here is the website for your Clasnip.com, an amazing online tool developed by the scientists at the CFIA’s Charlottetown Laboratory, a free, easy-to-use web=based platform for the classification and identification of closely related microorganisms.
According to Canadian Food Inspection Agency, “Clasnip (or “classification based on snips”) looks at tiny variations in genetic code called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), also known as snips. For new sample classifications, users can compare snips with curated, high-quality reference databases. This helps scientists accurately identify pathogens much faster than traditional methods — often within a few seconds! The tool has been used to quickly identify specific genetic signatures and to differentiate species from close relatives for pathogens of concern, including CLso, Brr, potato blackleg, soft rot and PVY.”
(Edited by Caroline Fu)
