Messenger - Vol. 3, No. 4, Page 12 Summer 1994 Videodisc lines up plant diseases A plant pathology videodisc developed by a UD professor has met with rave reviews, and more than 30 institutions worldwide have ordered the program. Tom Evans, a plant pathologist in the College of Agricultural Sciences, developed the videodisc under a USDA grant with Gail Schumann from the University of Massachusetts and Frank Tainter from Clemson University. The American Phytopathological Society donated many of its publication photos for the videodisc, which can be used either in the classroom or in extension programs. Operating on a personal computer with a videodisc player, the program brings up almost 10,000 images, plus explanatory text. Both text and images are displayed when students enter key words, such as the name of a plant or disease. "This videodisc makes accessible virtually any image needed to identify a plant disease in the United States," says Evans. Intended as a way to manage and access thousands of slides, the project has the added benefit of capturing student interest. "Today's students relate well to a computer format," Evans says. "They are more used to keyboards than to turning the pages of books." At a cost of $500, the videodisc is both cheaper and more convenient than slides, Evans says. Images can be projected in large lecture classes or used for individual studies. The system even allows professors to custom-design tutorials for their students. Both French and Spanish language versions are being developed. -Claire McCabe, Delaware '85M