Collection and preservation of plant disease specimens

1. COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION
OF DISEASE SPECIMENS

2. Collection
Procedure:
1. Collect infected plant material in polythene bags.
2. Use separate bags for different kinds of diseased specimens.
3. Record the following information.
a. Name of the host
b. Date of collection
c. Place of collection
d. Collected by
4. Place the specimens in envelopes along with information sheet and bring
to the laboratory

3. II. Preservation:
• Dry preservation
• Wet preservation
A. Dry preservation (Herbarium)
The main objective of preservation is;
To prevent mould development and minimize discoloration.

5. • Whenever a new organism/disease is identified for the first time it should be
described and the same specimen be deposited in any of the following
herbaria.
• Herbarium Cryptogamie Indiae Orientalis (HCIO), IARI, New Delhi
• Sir Edwin John Butler at Pusa, Bihar in 1905.
• After earthquake the Pusa, Bihar it was shifted to the Division of Mycology
and Plant Pathology, IARI, New Delhi in 1934.
• At present, more than 49,000 diseased fungal specimens are being
maintained and preserved in their natural form
• The rates for identification of specimens are Rs. 1000.00 specimen for
Government /Non commercial Organization and Rs. 8000.00 per specimen
for commercial Organizations

6.  Herbarium International Mycological Institute, Kew, Surrey, England.
 Herbarium Mycological Division, United States Department
of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland, USA.

7. Wet Preservation
Diseased material in its natural condition.
I. General preservation or pickling.
Preserve the specimens in 4% formalin for which retention of
green colour is not required
II. Green preservation.
For retaining green colour

8. II. Green preservation:
Procedure:
1. Prepare a saturated stock solution of copper acetate in 50% glacial acetic
acid.
2. Mix 4 parts of water to 1 part of saturated stock solution and heat to boil.
3. Immerse the diseased specimens in boiling solution for 10 min. Observe
the reactions that follow until the green colour is permanently fixed and
record the same.
4. Wash in running water.
5. Preserve in 4 % formalin and label the jars.