Guidance for Submitting a Good Digital Submission to the Plant Disease Clinic

Although digital diagnosis is more difficult for disease samples than for insect or weed identification, we can often provide at least a preliminary diagnosis if we receive images of good quality. Smartphones generally take good images if you follow a few guidelines.

1. Submit only digital images that are clear and in focus.

2. Include ~3 to a maximum of 7 well-focused images that show:

a. the pattern of the problem in the location (e.g. field, orchard, nursery, landscape, garden)

b. the overall symptoms on the whole plant

c. a close-up of the symptoms on an affected plant, including images of both leaf surfaces if there are symptoms on leaves

3. Try to avoid strong shadows on the sample; outdoor images taken on a cloudy day are best. When taking pictures indoors, try to           illuminate the plant from both sides to eliminate shadows in the photo and place on a neutral background.

Image Size/File Type

•    All images must be in GIF, JPG, PNG, or PDF, but we prefer GIF or JPG.

•    Do not send small-size images (e.g. < 500 pixels); ~2,000 pixels is great.

Examples of Good Digital Submissions