Procedures for Aquatic Plant Sample Collection

The following procedures are provided to ensure that plant collections are adequate for analysis and that sample integrity is maintained during shipment. These steps must be followed to provide the best and most accurate recommendations and results.

1. Please consult with your territory SePRO Aquatic Specialist to design an appropriate sampling protocol for your project. Please send only hydrilla, milfoil or egeria, unless otherwise specified by your Aquatic Specialist.
    
2. Complete the Chain of Custody (COC)form for the corresponding analysis (GenTEST*, PlanTEST*, or EffecTEST*). Sample results will not be reported until a COC is received by the laboratory.
    
3. Water samples must be collected at the same sites as plant samples for post-treatment samples. Label water samples and plant samples from the same site identically.
    
4. For GenTEST (genetics analysis): Consult with your SePRO Aquatic Specialist to determine the appropriate analysis level and sampling protocol.
   
   For PlanTEST (pretreatment) samples: Collect 40 - 60 apical tips from each sample site, 4 - 6" in length. For some plant species, collection of vegetative propagules or seeds may be preferred. Please consult with your SePRO Aquatic Specialist.
   
   For EffecTEST (posttreatment) samples: Collect enough plant tissue to fill a one-gallon ziplock bag. While posttreatment samples can often be in poor condition, these plants can still provide valuable data. Corresponding water samples need to be collected at these sites as well.
    
5. Rinse plants thoroughly to remove excess mud and algae.
    
6. Place plants in a ziplock bag and drain excess water. Label each ziplock bag with the name of the lake, sample date, and site number.
    
7. Place samples in a cooler with cool packs and ship via overnight express (morning delivery). Please make sure your cooler is not leaking. Packages that are leaking do not get delivered. FedEx is the preferred method. Please do not ship via U. S. Mail.
    
8. Ideally, plants should be shipped on the same day of collection. If this is not possible, store plants in a cooler with an ice pack. Do not store plants in the freezer or refrigerator. Please do not ship plants on a Friday.
    
9. Contact SePRO's laboratory before shipping and provide an estimated arrival date.
    
10. Ship samples to:
    
    SePRO Research & Technology Campus 
    16013 Watson Seed Farm Road 
    Whitakers, NC 27891-9114 
    
    E-mail: srtclab@sepro.com 
    Tel: (252) 437-3282 11.