The Plant Health Checker (PHC) is a powerful survey tool developed by the International Plant Sentinel Network (IPSN) in collaboration with our partners at Fera Ltd. It was meticulously designed to aid in the collection of standardized data for the effective monitoring and diagnosis of plant health issues, contributing significantly to early detection efforts.
 

To learn more about the Plant Health Checker can be viewed below:

The PHC consists of a user-friendly 2-step form that allows individuals, whether botanic garden staff, horticultural students, or enthusiasts, to comprehensively document plant health observations.
 

STEP1:
This initial step compiles essential general data about the survey, plant details, and environmental conditions using a simple traffic light system (red-amber-green) to indicate the health status of the specimen. No specialized knowledge is required for this step, making it accessible to all users.

STEP2:
For more detailed observations, Step 2 guides users through a thorough survey of the specimen, focusing on specific symptoms and signs of pest or disease presence in different parts of the plant. This step is recommended for individuals with some knowledge of plant pests and diseases or appropriately trained plant health officers.

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The data collected through the Plant Health Checker is invaluable in informing collection management, preventative actions and mitigation priorities.

PHC forms are available for:
Deciduous Trees
Coniferous Trees
Non-woody Plants

Forms are available in English, Chinese, and Spanish.

Additional guidance on identifying common signs and symptoms of pests and diseases, and instructions for taking samples and diagnostic photos, is available below.

A comprehensive guide with pictures is also available. This guide includes how to carry out the surveys as well as pictures of ‘typical’ signs and symptoms.

To further enhance data collection, integration, and shareability, IPSN, with support from the Future Proofing Plant Health initiative by DEFRA, has developed an electronic version of the Plant Health Checker (ePHC).

The ePHC is a cutting-edge mobile application designed to streamline data capture and submission directly from smartphones, tablets, or laptops. Developed using the Survey123 environment, the app ensures accessibility and efficiency in plant health monitoring efforts globally.

In the ePHC step1 and 2 are combined into one single form to facilitate data collection with added functionalities such as GPS location visualization, photo integration and off-line operability.

The app can be used through different mobile devices such as mobile phones, tables and laptops.

Survey 123 can be downloaded from your preferred app store: Google Play or Apple Store. And the form can be uploaded by scanning the following QR code below.

In conjunction with the ePHC app, a data hub has been developed to facilitate visualization and management of project data.

If you are interested in join us advancing plant health monitoring efforts with the Plant Health Checker & ePHC please get in touch by writing to (lara.salido@bgci.org)!