Dr. Carrie Lapaire Harmon
Extension Specialist
Contact:
Phone: (352) 392-1795
Email: clharmon@ufl.edu
Office: Bldg. 1291 - Plant Diagnostic Center
2570 Hull Road
Gainesville, FL, 32611
About
I joined the faculty of the UF Department of Plant Pathology in 2003, with responsibilities in extension focused on plant disease detection and diagnosis. My research program focuses on diagnostic method improvement and validation, and my extension program is built around plant disease diagnosis and training in the Plant Diagnostic Center. I serve a wide variety of extension clientele in Florida, the US, and abroad, directing plant problem diagnosis and training diagnosticians and plant professionals.
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Education
Ph.D. Plant Pathology, University of Florida, 2013
M.S. Plant Pathology, Purdue University, 2002
B.S. Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Massachusetts, 1998
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Plant Diagnostic Center
Visit the PDC Website
Plant disease epidemics and exotic plant pathogen introductions can result in serious economic and environmental damages to agricultural, horticultural, and natural environs in Florida and the US. IFAS faculty and their clientele need to be kept up-to-date on the changing status of important plant diseases and available detection and diagnosis methods. As a sentinel state, Florida is uniquely situated to be a leader in new pathogen visual and lab-based diagnostic information, and the UF/IFAS Plant Diagnostic Center serves as the hub lab for the Southern Plant Diagnostic Network (SPDN), providing training and leadership in this area. Detection and diagnosis protocols for new diseases are important for diagnosticians in UF IFAS and other regional plant disease clinics and for scouts and other clientele in the field. Development and delivery of plant problem detection, diagnosis and application information to clientele includes print, teleconference, conference and classroom media such as PowerPoint and hands-on demonstrations. The SPDN is an integral part of the National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN) and partner with land-grant university extension across the US, USDA-NIFA, USDA-APHIS, the National IPM Centers, and industry. Coordination of the SPDN has afforded me the opportunity to develop a robust diagnostic training system. My contribution to the IFAS Extension system and to diagnostic laboratories in the US and abroad has been the delivery of concise, practical, and hands-on training in plant health diagnostic concepts and methods.
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Research
The goal of my research program is to provide applied answers to plant disease problems identified through extension activities as important for clientele in Florida and other southern states. Specific goals of my program are to investigate new detection and diagnostic methods for important, emerging or high-risk plant pathogens and diseases that threaten agriculture and ecosystems in the region I serve. Many of these projects and activities represent multi-discipline and/or multi-state collaborations. Several of the research projects resulted in publications in three of the major journals for plant pathology in the US, Phytopathology, Plant Disease and Plant Health Progress, which are targeted to applied plant scientists and practitioners. My research projects all fall under detection, diagnosis, and management of emerging pathogens, in keeping with my main focus as Project Director of the Southern Plant Diagnostic Network and Director of the UF-IFAS Plant Diagnostic Center.
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Publications
View a collection of my publications on Google Scholar
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Teaching
I teach two courses related to plant disease diagnosis: PLP 6942, Professional Internship in the Plant Disease Clinic, in-person all semesters and PLP 6291, Plant Disease Diagnosis (online), Summer A.