ID-Tools

Organisation

Identification Technology Program (ITP), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), US Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Summary description of the site

This site lists a series of online and app-based identification and diagnostic tools, including Lucid matrix keys, images, video, fact sheets and other aids to identification. There are pest-based tools (including a number of beetle and moth keys), commodity-based tools (including citrus, grapes, palms and wood). The Citrus Resource - http://www.idtools.org/id/citrus/resource/index.php provides a good example of a comprehensive commodity-based identification resource. It has been created to provide growers, the industry, and those associated with citrus pest and disease detection an easily accessible site to assist with their identification needs. This commodity-based resource includes three stand-alone tools to support citrus commodity surveys: one for insect pests (Citrus Pests), a symptom-based tool for diseases (Citrus Diseases), and one for the host material (Citrus ID). Each tool includes an interactive matrix-based key, fact sheets, an image gallery, and other pages designed with the user in mind.

The ITP team are currently developing a facility for recording new digital identification tools developed by third parties. 

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