1. Submitting DDIS Samples
Amanda Hodges, Ph.D. and
Jiannong Xin, Ph.D.
University of Florida/IFAS Extension
This presentation will provide you with information regarding key resources at the University of Florida for submission of plant-related samples. The University of Florida/IFAS extension has mechanisms in place for submission of both digital and physical samples. Everyday, common samples as well as high-risks pests of concern may be submitted to the University of Florida/IFAS Cooperative Extension System.

2. University of Florida-Cooperative Extension Service
All plant-related samples of interest in Florida should first be sent to your local University of Florida/IFAS Extension, Cooperative Extension County Office. Visit the University of Florida’s new Solutions for Your Life website for the latest links and information to your local county agent.

3. County Agents-First Detector Educators
A map with Florida’s extension districts, county information, and local Research & Education Center is also available on this site.

4. Information on Submitting Good Digital Images
Information available on DDIS
Online NPDN Training
Link to all Information from the Florida Plant Diagnostic Network

5. Florida’s Distance Diagnostic and Identification System (DDIS)
All County Agents Can Access Specialists
Diagnostic Labs Integrally Connected
Growers and Users Outside of UF/IFAS Submit Samples to the County-Level
All county offices are integrally connected to DDIS. Also, all state diagnostic labs as well as several of the statewide extension specialists utilize DDIS. Growers and other outside users can utilize the system, but samples must be submitted to county extension offices first. The agent remains key to the sample submission process. Additionally, statewide extension specialists can consult outside specialists in the system as well.
Jiannong Xin
Office of Information Technology
University of Florida/IFAS-IT

6. Creating an Account
Go to the DDIS homepage and click ‘Sign Up’
Right menu Bar. Also, easy way to request your password if you forgot it.
It may take 2-3 days for county clientele groups to receive an account information. At this point, it is a process that involves a message to registered county extension users in order for their knowledge and approval of county-based clientele. This also allows county agents to better serve clientele groups as they are aware of their registration.

7. Diagram showing how the sample submission process can work
Diagram showing how the sample submission process can work. In some cases, diagnostic labs may have specific clientele that use them directly. However, the county extension agent remains key to the process of sample submission.

8. Florida’s Distance Diagnostic and Identification System (DDIS)
Once you login to the site, you can see an easy menu of features available for use. Look at the ‘Quick Start’ menu on the top right hand corner. This provides audio-based tutorials to help you with the system. At this point, Dr. Xin checks with county extension personnel for registration requests outside of the University of Florida/IFAS Cooperative Extension System. Plans for an audio-based tutorial for ‘clients’ (i.e. non-extension personnel) are underway. Future features of the system may streamline the process for an immediate contact to a local county extension agent or county extension director, but user feedback and the volume of use in the system continue to determine priorities for ‘new’ DDIS features. If you look on the left menu bar, you can see links to suggested equipment for using DDIS. There is a link to available training resources, user guidelines, and quick ‘DDIS How To’ instructions. You can also easily view your samples, submit samples, and search existing samples in the database. The sample distribution map is a particularly nice feature. As more samples are added to the system, this may assist extension educators in determining-what’s the current problem in the system? County extension agents and state specialists can access the list of specialists and lab diagnosticians available. Growers and outside clientele are directed to county agents. The Image Library feature is not active yet, but will be available in the future. Note that the file size should be limited to 3 MB, so the photography tips provided by Fred Santana in the subsequent presentation are very helpful in terms of ‘getting good pictures into the system for diagnosis’.
Software requirements are listed on the ‘DDIS How To’ page. You will need to be sure that your computer is Java enabled (i.e. this is a free download). Also, you must have Adobe SVG viewer downloaded to view the maps.

9. Florida’s Distance Diagnostic and Identification System (DDIS)
Here’s the quick start screen.
Tutorial are currently available on Submitting a Sample (i.e. county agent sample submission) and diagnosing a sample. The outside clientele tutorial will be coming soon.

10. Here are some of the equipment basics at the county office level
Here are some of the equipment basics at the county office level. Of course, in some cases for end users in the field, all you will need is a digital camera. You may communicate back and forth with the specialist to determine what other photos are needed.

11. Sample types Plant disease Insect (plant) Insect (non-plant)
Invasive species
Plant management, physiology and nutrient problems
Plant and weed
Livestock
Here are the current sample types available in DDIS. However, I will emphasize again that more sample types or new and enhanced features can potentially be added to DDIS based on user feedback. 11

12. Media Field view Close-up view Microscope view Textual field data
The type of image you may submit will vary depending upon your purpose and sample. Some of these images show closer views of specimens (i.e. microscopic images, etc.). This will be done largely at the county extension office level.
Microscope view
Textual field data
Multimedia 12

13. Florida’s Distance Diagnostic and Identification System (DDIS)
Here is the sample type form. It is one simple click before you fill in the data.

14. Example of data form. It is really as easy as one, two, three
Example of data form. It is really as easy as one, two, three. Note that there is the option of making the sample private. This will not allow others to see your sample. Grower confidentiality has been taken into account for the system.

15. Florida’s Distance Diagnostic and Identification System (DDIS)
This is one the image upload section looks like. Note that streaming video will be added as an option in the future. This screen shot is also from the ‘quick start’ tutorial mentioned earlier.

16. This is a simplified view of the process
This is a simplified view of the process. There has been quite a bit of success with diagnosing common problems using DDIS. In particular, many of your everyday insect and week problems can be readily identified in this fashion. Plant pathogens can be a bit more difficult, but symptom pictures are very helpful if a physical sample is being submitted to a diagnostic lab.

17. Florida’s Distance Diagnostic and Identification System (DDIS)
Here is an example of the pest distribution map. This is a potential helpful resource for extension educators in Florida. Adobe SVG is required for download. Only Internet Explorer and Netscape supported at this time. Firefox not supported. This feature is only available to county agents at this time. It has the potential for assisting you with searching for pest outbreak information for the information that you provide to your extension clientele. 17

18. County Clientele Screen View

19. Samples Submitted First to County Agents

20. DDIS-Practice Submitting
Testing Site
Enter County Name (lowercase)
Today’s Training-
Gainesville-bradford
Milton-santa rosa
Homestead-miami-dade
Password 1234
CD-R contains test ‘practice images’.

21. Contact Information
Amanda Hodges, Ph.D. Entomology & Nematology Department University of Florida, IFAS Gainesville, FL 32611
Jiannong Xin, Ph.D. Office of Information Technology University of Florida/IFAS-IT Gainesville, FL 32611