Hand Lens / Magnifier
Useful for examining mites, insect body parts, fungal structures and fine leaf symptoms in the field.
Tools used to investigate crop problems
Different tools answer different questions. No single device confirms every crop disease.
Digital Microscope
Helps magnify small structures and suspected pests or fungal features; interpretation still requires expertise.
pH Meter
Measures soil or solution acidity/alkalinity. Useful for investigating nutrient availability and some crop disorders.
EC Meter
Measures electrical conductivity as an indicator of soluble salts. It can support investigation of salinity stress.
Soil Moisture Meter
Helps assess moisture conditions and distinguish possible water stress from other causes.
Soil Test
Laboratory soil analysis can measure nutrients and selected soil properties more reliably than visual diagnosis alone.
Plant Tissue Analysis
Laboratory analysis of plant tissue can help investigate suspected nutrient deficiencies or toxicities.
Pathogen Laboratory Tests
Depending on the disease, confirmation may require microscopy, culturing, immunological tests or molecular methods such as PCR.