Purdue University PURDUE AGRICULTURE
BOTANY AND PLANT PATHOLOGY
 
 

Tom C Creswell

Lab Director/Plant Disease Diagnostician

Department: Botany and Plant Pathology
Phone: 765.494-8081
Fax: 765.494.3958
Office: Plant & Soils Building, Room 101
E-mail: creswell@purdue.edu

 

As Director of the Plant & Pest Diagnostic Laboratory (P&PDL), I am responsible for overseeing daily operations and administration of the lab. The P&PDL is an interdisciplinary lab, taking advantage of technical expertise from several departments in the College of Agriculture to provide diagnostic and identification services to our clients. Our lab serves as the state laboratory for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).

My responsibilities include supervising P&PDL staff, and managing all accounts and finances. In my role as a diagnostician I work toward accurate and timely diagnosis of plant disease problems on samples submitted to the Plant and Pest Diagnostic Laboratory, along with control recommendations when requested. I help provide training in disease diagnostics to county Cooperative Extension educators, grower groups and others.

Outreach efforts include timely contributions of disease diagnostic information to newsletters and our website to help keep our clients informed about current problems.


Education

1987 North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC - Ph.D. Plant Pathology

1982 Auburn University, Auburn, AL - M.S. Plant Pathology

1980 Auburn University, Auburn, AL  - B.S. Major: Botany with emphasis in Horticulture

Experience

2008 to present: Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Director, Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab, Dept. of Botany and Plant Pathology

1987 to 2008: North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
Lab Director, Plant Disease and Insect Clinic, Department of Plant Pathology

 

- Recent Publications

Brouder, S. M., Camberato, J. J., Casteel, S. N., Creswell, T. C., Faghihi, J., Gerber, C. K., . . . Wise, K. A. (2012). Corn and Soybean Field Guide 2013 Edition.

Egel, D. S., Foster, R. E., Maynard, E. T., Creswell, T. C., Ruhl, G. E., Faghihi, J., . . . White, E. M. (2012). Midwest Vegetable Production Guide for Commercial Growers 2013. Retrieved from http://www.btny.purdue.edu/pubs/id/id-56/

Leonberger, A. J., Speers, C., Ruhl, G., Creswell, T. C., & Beckerman, J. L. (2012). A Survey of Phytophthora species in Midwest Nurseries, Greenhouses, and Landscapes.. Plant Disease. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-07-12-0689-RE

Ruhl, G. E., Creswell, T. C., & Dana, M. (2012). Stress-related Conifer Dieback. Retrieved from https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?itemID=20511#.UQKhWOjE4Z0

Creswell, T. C., Ivors, K., & Munster, M. (2012). Suggested Plant Species for Sites with a History of Phytophthora Root or Crown Rot. Retrieved from http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/plantpath/activities/societies/ornamental/AG-747_Crown%20Rot.pdf

Creswell, T. C., & Ruhl, G. (2010). Corn & Soybean Field Guide: Submitting Samples to the Plant & Pest Diagnostic Lab.

Egel, D., Ruhl, G., & Creswell, T. C. (2010). Late Blight of Tomato and Potato.

Creswell, T. C., Ruhl, G. E., & Lopez, R. G. (2009). If You’ve Seen it Once…A Dangerous Metaphor for Accurate Diagnosis. Retrieved from http://www.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?i=24992

Ruhl, G. E., Wise, K. A., Creswell, T. C., Leonberger, A. J., & Speers, C. L. (2009). First Report of Goss’s Bacterial Wilt and Leaf Blight on Corn Caused by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis in Indiana. Plant Disease, 93.

Jurick, W. M., Harmon, C. L., Marois, J., Wright, D. L., Lamour, K., Vitoreli, A., . . . Harmon, P. F. (2007). A comparative analysis of diagnostic protocols for detection of the Asian soybean rust pathogen, Phakopsora pachyrhizi. Plant Health Progress.

 

+ Patents

 

- Awards & Honors

2012 PUCESA Team Award: Imprelis Herbicide Injury Response Team (2012). Purdue University Cooperative Extension Specialists' Association.

2010 PUCESA Team Award (2010). Purdue University Cooperative Extension Specialists Association.

 

+ News Releases