Farm and Fiddle

Peng Tian isn't a gardener, but he knows everything there is about diagnosing plant problems for gardeners, farmers, landscapers, foresters and anyone else interested in the health of our green world. In this interview, he tells about the Plant Pathology Lab at University of Missouri-Columbia, where owners can send (or bring) plant samples for identification of diseases, fungi, insect damage, herbicide drift or other worries.

Show Notes

In this episode of Farm and Fiddle, which aired at 6 p.m. Central Time on KOPN 89.5 FM in mid-MIssouri and KOPN.org on the worldwide web, plant diagnostician Pent Tian tells about his laboratory and his work identifying plant problems. His advice is sought by professionals and amateurs in all kinds of plant businesses or avocations. This year, Missouri has had a very wet, chilly spring, which means Peng will see a lot of fungus problems. He tells how to identify those and what to do about them. We also may see an influx of new predatory insects like the lanternfly, a bug that can destroy forests and fields. Missourians should be on the lookout for these creatures. There are other dangers, such as herbicides drifting in from nearby fields. If it attacks plants, Peng has seen it, so gardeners, farmers, forester, landscapers and plant lovers should become familiar with his work. 

What is Farm and Fiddle?

Farm and Fiddle is the world's oldest radio program covering sustainable agriculture and local food systems. We air every Wednesday evening from 7 to 8 p.m. central time, from KOPN 89.5 fm, Columbia, Missouri. We speak to the best experts in regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, animal husbandry, and cover topics like how to resist factory farms in the neighborhood and what to do if your crop is knocked out by too much or too little rain, or by a neighbor's sloppy poison application.