New Plant Virus?

[kg5]

Australia customs has shut down the importing of some plant material because of a new plant bacterium that has been found in Europe, North & South America's.

I have all my wholesalers that are importers no longer open for business. So down the toilet goes my plant sales.

Has anyone heard of orchids flasks being stopped at the boarders?

Have tried to source on line info but can not find a thing about any of it.

Got a reasonable plant buy today of small plants but my profit will be down 45% on sale costs.

Has anyone got any info on this new plant virus?

Totally frustrated as my plants come out of USA so even if customs opens the boarders again there will be a 4 month to 5 month time lag to get quarantine approved plants to the wholesalers/retailers like me.

Edit: Changed Virus that was very wrong to bacterium!

[Ray]

I have not heard anything about a "new" plant virus. Australian authorities have always been particularly protective of plant and animal health, so I wonder if this isn't as much political as practical.

Flasks are usually cleared through customs easily, as they are, by definition, sterile. However, in that case, "sterile" refers to being free from bacterial and fungal infections, so if the inspectors are being told to consider viruses, they may stop them, too.

[kg5]

Thank you Ray!

Have contacted Australia Department of Agriculture concerning plant imports.

The "new" plant virus is called Xyella Fastidiosa.(hope I got the spelling right)

That is all the info I could but was encouraged to do a search and heaps of info will come.

No guesses what I am doing next.

[estación seca]

It's not a virus. It's a bacterium that infects the vascular transport tissue of various plants. There are multiple strains which infect and harm different hardwood plants to different degrees. A strain from Costa Rica has invaded olive groves in Apulia, Italy, and is causing tree death. Another strain is killing oleander (Nerium oleander) in California and here in Arizona. Yet another strain, spread by the glassy-winged sharpshooter, a psyllid insect, has been damaging California vineyards for some time.

Here is the pertinent Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources page:

Home Changes to import requirements to protect against Xylella

If you follow links from that page you wind up on this page, which shows what plants are affected right now. I don't see orchids on this list:

https://bicon.agriculture.gov.au/Bic...ementPk=326390

[kg5]

Plants that can be divided eg bulbs & cuttings is a strong area of concern.

Insects carrying the disease is the most common way to spread it.

But they are dealing a mutation of some sort. The combining of Xyella x Fastidiosa in a different form. Someone in Brazil named it and also Europe is seeing differences as well.

Interesting! So it is not a bacterial virus?

[Subrosa]

There's no such thing as a "bacterial virus". Bacteria and viruses are two entirely different types of organisms.

[kg5]

Thank you Subrosa.

So we have bacteria, virus & fungi. All separate issues.

---------- Post added at 05:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:50 PM ----------

Thought this would be interesting.

"To control fungal outbreaks, as with bacteria, remove all infected plant parts, or plants. You may also choose to apply a fungicide. There are many products available for treatment, organically (copper, sulfur, and baking soda are common) or synthetically. These treatments are best at preventing the germination of new fungal spores, so applications before outbreaks occur will provide the most effective control."

"Even viruses on occasion can be beneficial, but for the most part, they are bad news in the garden. They can persist for many years, before they appear as a problem, and when they do, they often show up in one of a few primary ways. First, plant foliage may appear yellow, or they may appear as mosaic patches of yellow, light green, or white. Next, the plant may appear stunted. In addition, the plants are often misshapen or malformed. Specifically, the leaves may be rolled, or swollen or puckered, or they may be abnormally narrow."

"Unlike bacteria and fungi, viruses are not spread by water or wind. Instead, they must physically enter the plant. One of the most common vectors of viruses are insects. Insects feed on infected plants and transmit the viruses to healthy plants when they feed again. Other ways include plant propagation, contact by humans, and infected seed."

"Unfortunately, once infected, there are no chemical treatments for eliminating a virus. Once detected, you should remove all suspected plants. Although this can seem like drastic measures, it is the most effective way to reduce continued spread. It is difficult to prevent viruses from affecting your plants. Your best efforts will be to look for virus-resistant cultivars, provide physical barriers, such as floating row covers, or to actively eliminate vectoring pests from entering your garden."

[Ray]

Viruses not spread by water???? Are they kidding?

Water splashing from an infected plant to another is a tremendous was to spread them!

[kg5]

You orchid people have this area of bacteria, virus & fungi worked out very well by the sound of things. The growing experience is showing and it worries me.
When I did my diploma very little was taught in this area. We just treated the repetitious problems as they came at us.

The only virus I have ever come across was "mosaic virus" in a large, fresh planting of mature roses around a Mother's Memorial.

The roses were removed along with a lot of soil and everything was replaced we never saw the virus again. This situation was not my call.

[Leafmite]

It is good that Australia is trying to prevent the diseases from entering the country. Here, we have so many problems with introduced diseases. Good luck with your business, though.