Episode 69

A Conversation With Four Clinic Directors Behind The National Plant Diagnostic Network

February 27th, 2026

56 mins 5 secs

Season 6

Your Host
Special Guests

About this Episode

In this episode, Dr. Carrie Harmon (University of Florida), Dr. Matt Bertone (North Carolina State University), Dr. Alicyn Smart (University of Maine), and Dr. Peng Tian (University of Missouri) join host Matt Kasson to discuss the history and importance of National Plant Diagnostic Network, their various roles in the NPDN and the regional diagnostic networks, and their responsibilities as Directors of their University’s Plant Disease and Pest Diagnostic Clinics. They also discuss some of the misconceptions of diagnostics and share some of the craziest samples they’ve encountered.

*Show Notes *

NPDN Website: https://www.npdn.org/

Dr. Carrie Harmon’s University profile: https://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/people/faculty-pages/carrie-harmon/

UF/IFAS Plant Diagnostic Center: https://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/plant-diagnostic-center/

Dr. Matt Bertone’s University profile: https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/profile/matt-bertone/

NC State Plant Disease and Insect Clinic: https://pdic.ces.ncsu.edu/

Dr. Alicyn Smart’s University profile: https://extension.umaine.edu/about/staff-directory/alicyn-smart/

The University of Maine Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab: https://extension.umaine.edu/ipm/plant-disease/

Dr. Peng Tian’s University profile: https://cafnr.missouri.edu/directory/peng-tian-phd/

University of Missouri Plant Diagnostic Clinic: https://extension.missouri.edu/programs/plant-diagnostic-clinic

This episode is produced by Association Briefings.