Select and prepare samples for submission

Select and prepare samples for submission

How to select and prepare your samples

If you wish to engage us for diagnostic testing and analysis, you must submit samples for us to examine.

Observe the following guidelines when selecting plants, specimens or soil samples for submission. You may also refer to our service booklet for more detailed instructions.

Guidelines

Plant health laboratories and advisory services service booklet (PDF, 457KB)

The document outlines NParks’ plant health laboratory services, testing procedures, fees and submission guidelines.

Mar 2024

Submitting good-quality samples is necessary to ensure a correct plant health diagnosis. Poorly selected or damaged samples can lead to inaccurate diagnoses or recommendations, and delays.

You should apply for online sample submissions via eServices and submit your samples for analysis after selecting and preparing your samples.

If you are unable to do so, keep them refrigerated between 5 to 10°C.

Select parts of the plant showing the symptoms you are concerned about. If possible, send several samples showing various stages of the disease, especially the early stages.

Instructions for plant sample collection

Plant sample	What you should do
Smaller plants	Bring all parts of the plant, including roots when possible. Carefully dig up the plant and wrap the roots in a separate plastic bag to keep the leaves free of soil. Include 500g of surrounding soil in another plastic bag
Turf	Collect around 500g of turf sample plugs that are 9cm in diameter and place them into a plastic bag. Include the transition area between the diseased and healthy portions of grass.

If it is not practical to bring in an entire plant (such as in the case of large trees and shrubs), you should include several affected portions of the plant such as:

Plant sample	What you should do
Leaves	Select several leaves that show early and moderate stages of disease (such as leaf spots or rot). Press them flat between sheets of newspaper when packing.
Fleshy materials (such as fruits or vegetables)	Wrap them in a dry newspaper
Branches and twigs	(If the disease involves wilting) Collect branches or twigs which are actively wilting but not dead. Wrap them in plastic to retain moisture. (If localised infections such as cankers are involved) Gather entire or small parts of infected branches and twigs with several centimetres of healthy wood close to the diseased parts.

Instructions for specimen collection

Considerations	What you should do
Quantity and life stages	Collect multiple specimens of insects and affected plant parts (hosts) for accurate identification. Include all life stages (eggs, larvae, pupae, adults) if possible.
Packaging and preservation	Pack insects carefully to preserve their condition. Contain soft-bodied or highly mobile insects (such as aphids, mites, thrips, caterpillars or spiders) in a small leakproof bottle or vial with 70% alcohol. Contain hard-bodied insects (such as flies, grasshoppers, butterflies and beetles) in a dry, crush-proof container. Note: Do not tape insects to paper or place them loose in envelopes.
Specimen labelling	(If there are 2 or more species) Separate, label and provide appropriate information on each.
Plant samples	Send affected plant parts or flowers with pest-related products (webs, bags, frass) together with unaffected plant parts. (If sending freshly damaged fruits) Wrap them individually in newspaper.

Instructions for soil sample collection

Considerations	What you should do
Sampling area and depth	Collect soil samples around the affected plants at a depth of 15 to 20cm. (For soil mix) Collect samples from the prepared soil mix pile.
Soil conditions	Avoid sampling when soil is extremely dry or wet, or immediately after fertiliser application.
Sample quantity	Combine multiple samples to form a composite sample of at least 500g.
Sample labelling	Transfer the composite sample into a clean plastic or paper bag that is clearly labelled.

Download the NEAR mobile app to find a route via our park connectors or trails.

Select and prepare samples for submission

How to select and prepare your samples

For disease diagnosis

Instructions for plant sample collection

For insect pest diagnosis

Instructions for specimen collection

For plant nutrition or nematode analysis of soil samples

Instructions for soil sample collection

National Parks Board