The Turfgrass Diagnostic Laboratory (TDL) can accept both sample submissions and image submissions.

Sample Submissions

A submission is composed of symptomatic and asymptomatic plugs taken from the same area; homeowners wanting to submit a residential sample are urged to contact their local cooperative extension office prior to submission.

Each sample MUST be accompanied with a sample submission form. Please take time to fill out the form as completely as possible.  Our diagnosis is only as good as the evidence that we receive.

Steps to Be Used for Sending a Sample

1. Samples should be turf plugs (removed using a cup-cutter device or similar tool) cut from the edge of the area where there is active disease (ex. from the edge of a patch). The plug should encompass approximately half diseased and half healthy tissue. Alternatively, one diseased and one healthy plug could be cut from one problem area.
2. Soil-laden ends of the plugs should be wrapped in aluminum foil. Samples could be placed in a plastic bag, but DO NOT seal the bag completely.
3. Wrapped samples should be placed in a box with padding tightly surrounding the samples (newspaper or leftover bubble wrap work well).
4. The box should be firmly sealed after placing the completed sample submission form in the box.
5. The package should be sent using expedited mailing such as FedEx, UPS, or similar. Hand-delivering the samples directly to the laboratory is also an option. The quicker we get the sample, the faster we can diagnose the problem.

Pricing

In-State Submissions:

• Commercial- $100/submission (2 plugs/problem site)
• Residential - $25/submission (2 plugs/problem site); Contact your local extension office and request that the samples be sent directly to the TDL rather than the PDIDL
• Nematode Analysis - $50/submission (2 plugs/problem site)
• Site Visit with Written Report - $250/submission

Out-of-State:

• Commercial - $150/submission (2 plugs/problem site)
• Residential - $50/submission (2 plugs/problem site)
• Nematode Analysis - $75/submission (2 plugs/problem site)

Image Submissions

Digital images can be helpful in accompanying physical samples submitted to our laboratory. On occasion we can also take a look at an image and perhaps offer a diagnosis, but this is rare. In most cases we will need both pieces of evidence to assist in the diagnosis.

• Images should be of the overall symptom present in the stand
• Rarely will "closeup" images assist in the diagnosis unless visible fruiting bodies or other unique pathogen structure is readily apparent
• Images can be sent to nathan.walker@okstate.edu