Providing On-site Plant Diagnostic Services for Amish Communities in Missouri
Extension Education
Dr. Dhruba Dhakal
Field Specialist in Horticulture
University of Missouri Extension
Jefferson City
Abstract
Missouri is home to a significant and underserved population of over 9,000 Amish people that are heavily involved in small-scale commercial horticulture. Traditional extension outreach via digital platforms is often ineffective due to cultural and religious beliefs, leaving these growers with limited access to critical information regarding plant diseases, pests, and nutritional disorders. To bridge this communication gap, the University of Missouri Extension established a program providing localized, in-person plant diagnostic and consulting services directly at produce auctions and on-farm sites during the crop growing seasons. We conducted 148 on-site clinical sessions and diagnosed 341 plant samples at the on-site clinic from 2020 to 2025. We diagnosed 194 samples for disease, 50 samples for insect-pest identification and damage, 52 samples diagnosed for nutrient related disorder, and 45 samples for weed identification. This program demonstrates adaptive, on-site approach that is essential for reaching culturally distinct and technologically underserved agricultural populations where traditional communication barriers exist, and furthermore provides immediate management recommendations, and allows producers to take timely action, effectively minimizing crop loss, improving produce quality, and increasing net farm income.
Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC
This poster is being submitted only for display at AM/PIC. Poster is not to be judged, but the abstract will be published in the proceedings.
A poster file has not been provided
Authors: Dr. Dhruba Dhakal, Dr. Peng Tian
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Dhakal, D. Field Specialist in Horticulture, University of Missouri Extension , Missouri, 65101
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Tian, D. Assistant Extension Professor, University of Missouri , Missouri, 65201-7747