{"id":15576,"date":"2026-02-17T12:56:26","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T17:56:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/washington\/?p=15576"},"modified":"2026-02-17T12:56:41","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T17:56:41","slug":"plant-disease-diagnostics-online-course","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/washington\/2026\/02\/17\/plant-disease-diagnostics-online-course\/","title":{"rendered":"Plant Disease Diagnostics Online Course"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3><b>Gaining expertise in plant health just got easier\u2014and more rewarding for your professional credentials.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is proud to launch our latest online resource: Plant Disease Diagnostics. This self-paced course is designed to move you beyond guesswork, providing a scientific, 5-step workflow to identify and manage plant pathogens in the Northeast.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whether you are managing a commercial greenhouse, a professional landscape, or a productive home garden, this learning experience offers high-level training and tangible professional benefits.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Developed by UMaine Extension specialist Dr. Alicyn Smart, the learning experience focuses on practical, evidence-based skills. In approximately six<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">hours of interactive learning, you will learn:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The 5-Step diagnostic process: From host identification to action planning.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Biotic vs. Abiotic Stress: Distinguish between living pathogens (fungi, bacteria, viruses) and environmental factors (nutrient deficiencies, frost, or herbicide drift).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Symptom Recognition: Learn to accurately name and analyze signs like chlorosis, cankers, and wilting.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sample Submission: Best practices for packaging and sending samples to our nationally accredited lab.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Earn Credits and Credentials<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is more than just a learning opportunity\u2014it is a significant boost to your professional profile:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Six Pesticide Recertification Credits: <\/span><b><i>Successful<\/i><\/b><b> completion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is approved for six (6) credits from the Maine Board of Pesticide Control, making this an efficient way for Maine private pesticide applicators to fulfill the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">6 recertification credits required every three years<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to renew their license.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">UMaine Digital Badge: Participants will earn the Plant Disease Diagnostics micro-badge. This verifiable digital credential can be showcased on LinkedIn, resumes, and business websites to demonstrate your specialized expertise to clients and employers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Enroll here:\u00a0 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/discover.maine.edu\/product?catalog=Plant_Disease_Diagnostics\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">https:\/\/discover.maine.edu\/product?catalog=Plant_Disease_Diagnostics<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gaining expertise in plant health just got easier\u2014and more rewarding for your professional credentials. The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is proud to launch our latest online resource: Plant Disease Diagnostics. This self-paced course is designed to move you beyond guesswork, providing a scientific, 5-step workflow to identify and manage plant pathogens in the Northeast. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15576","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Plant Disease Diagnostics Online Course - Cooperative Extension in Washington County - University of Maine Cooperative Extension<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/washington\/2026\/02\/17\/plant-disease-diagnostics-online-course\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Plant Disease Diagnostics Online Course - Cooperative Extension in Washington County - University of Maine Cooperative Extension\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Gaining expertise in plant health just got easier\u2014and more rewarding for your professional credentials. 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