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Plant pathogen detection and diagnosis has characteristically involved morphology, isolation and the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or a form of serological detection on strips or in microtiter plates. While these are the standard tools of our trade and widely proven, new technologies used in other disciplines are worth looking into for advancement or supplementation of the tools used to perform these activities. New technologies such as isothermal amplification and CANARY B-cell technology are beginning to show promise for diagnosticians and also require fewer reagents, have smaller footprints and do not require advanced-trained personnel. Additional technologies can also be applied to the detection of plant pathogens based on target properties such as volatiles or other chemical signatures. The potential use of detector dogs combined with rapid traditional diagnostics may be a realistic solution for plant inspection stations or ports of entry in the future. The integration of technologies used for bio-warfare agent detection or point of care diagnostics with more traditional technologies will be discussed. In addition, the integration of several different processes used in traditional diagnostics into single simplified systems used for detection or isolation will be briefly presented.<p><p>Keywords: