SDSU Plant Diagnostic Clinic earns national accreditation

Story by Kay Norton

The South Dakota State University Plant Diagnostic Clinic has earned accreditation as a “Core Accredited Lab” from the National Plant Diagnostic Network. It is one of only four accredited labs at land-grant universities in the country. 

“I am extremely pleased that the SDSU Plant Diagnostic Clinic achieved accreditation through the National Plant Diagnostic Network, whose mission is to ensure plant health and biosecurity,” Karen Sanguinet, Klingbeil Endowed Department Head and professor in the SDSU Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science, said. “These efforts led by Maddi Shires and her team are testaments to the commitment to the land-grant mission of SDSU and will help secure the agricultural enterprise in South Dakota.” 

The National Plant Diagnostic Network is an internationally respected consortium of plant diagnostic laboratories established in 2002 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Office of Homeland Security to enhance agricultural biosecurity. The core standard program was created to ensure quality diagnostics, enhance professionalism and strengthen readiness in performing timely and accurate decisions. 

Madalyn Shires is the manager of the SDSU Plant Diagnostic Clinic and said this accreditation recognizes the outstanding work being accomplished in the SDSU lab. “Essentially, this process means that we have a satisfactory workflow process and procedures that satisfy the National Plant Diagnostic Network requirements. As the only public plant disease diagnostic clinic in South Dakota, we are operating in a way that is optimal and in line with clinics across the country.” 

Shires, an assistant professor in the Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science and SDSU Extension specialist in plant pathology, added, “It also recognizes that we are viewed as having the best processes for customer service and stakeholder interactions.” 

In 2024, the lab, located on the second floor of Berg Agricultural Hall, processed about 900 diagnostic plant disease tests for about 700 unique clients — growers from all over South Dakota as well as Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa and even the East Coast. 

The accreditation opens up more opportunities for expanded research and strengthens funding applications submitted by SDSU faculty. Industry professionals also will be able to benefit from the lab’s expanded capabilities. In addition to production farmers, commercial greenhouses and nurseries, other researchers and extension people and crop companies use the clinic’s services. Clients may contact the clinic by phone or email for information and then send or bring in samples for further evaluation and diagnosis. The recognition of standardized procedures reinforces the professional practices employed by the clinic for many years. 

“The clinic participates in several in-state and multistate working groups conducting research on disease, and we will be better able to do that as we are accredited and recognized for having good lab procedures,” Shires said. “We have already been able to provide a diagnostics workshop to diagnosticians from eight other states in the clinic this summer.” 

The lab enjoys strong support from industry. “We have some cool equipment in the clinic, especially our microscopes that were purchased with USDA Hatch funds and with support from the South Dakota Wheat Commission and the South Dakota Crop Improvement Association about two years ago,” Shires said. 

Preparing for and earning the accreditation focused efforts on standardization and documentation of various lab processes. Shires and Connie Tande, SDSU Extension plant diagnostician, worked diligently to document practices they were already doing. 

Shires noted that having everything documented means it will be easier to train undergraduate students who are regularly hired to gain lab experience and also will help train graduate students on specialized processes.