THE ROLE OF PLANT CLINICS IN PLANT DISEASE DIAGNOSIS AND EDUCATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES¹

The scarcity of literature in the realm of plant clinics operating in the developing world brought us to the decision to perform a survey in non-OECD countries in Africa, Asia and Oceania, Latin America and the Caribbean, and in central and southern Europe. Forty-one completed questionnaires that refer to 79 plant clinics were returned. The best-equipped clinics are operated by the international research bodies. By and large, this review shows that considerable progress has been achieved in the physical development of plant clinics in developing countries and in staffing them with well-trained personnel. Not surprisingly, however, many inadequacies and inconsistencies still need to be addressed before clinics can fully play their part in providing plant protection services to their clients. Success and constraining indicators in the diagnostic performance of the clinics are identified. A model of the‘ideal plant clinic’ is suggested.