Do not add any additional moisture to the sample. Virus Verification Commercial producers of plants in Florida have some control measures for viral diseases, hence the identity of the virus can be important. Conversely, for most urban dwellers, the identification of a particular virus is an academic pursuit since control measures are few and poorly effective. If an individual desires the identification of a specific virus problem, special care must be given to sample collection and submission. Please observe the following rules for suspected virus samples.
Viral diseases require unwilted plant tissue for verification.
Collect fresh, symptomatic and unwilted tissue for submission. Collect apparently healthy plant tissue as a control sample at the same time. If whole plants cannot be sent, wrap the cut ends in wet toweling and seal the sample in a plastic bag. Extensive efforts toward virus identification will alter the basic cost of sample analysis. A cause-effect relationship is not intended for all samples.