Does it get easier?

[Paul Mc]

Just like the title says, does it get easier to pitch a potentially virused orchid? I'm so torn at the moment,lol... I don't like pitching any plant but am learning the horticultural/safety/addicted to plants need to do so.

[Wjs2nd]

A potentially virused orchid is hard because you don't have a sure answer. I threw out one orchid I received as a give that had fungus every where. Plus, if anything dies it ends up in the trash.

[Leafmite]

No, it is never easy. I have a suspicious one in a room far from where I keep the others. I am pretty certain it is virused due to recent developments but I really like it so I am going to see if it puts out new growth and if the new growth is spotted/grows badly. It has been isolated all autumn and winter. When I look at pictures and read of virused plants, it is very difficult to tell and the tests can give false positives and negatives (just as with the testing of humans). This one should send growths up quickly and if it fails to perform or the growth doesn't look well, that will mean that it is virused.
Yes, if you know it is virused (unusual lack of vigor, yellow streaks, dying tissue, mosaic pattern, and tests positve), it is best to dispose of it. If it doesn't show signs but tests positive, keep it isolated, treat it for fungus/bacteria, give it good culture, wait a few months, then test again to rule out a false positive.
I really can't believe that so many orchids are sold with disease. It really isn't fair to those who buy them.

[Wynn Dee13]

Many orchids with viruses don't show symptoms. So more than likely many orchid growers have a plant in their collection with a virus. You just have to sterilize your tools well. You can buy test strips, five for like $30. You can also send a sample to a lab and it is about five dollars. If you really like the plant it might be worth while to test it. It might surprise you and be negative! I wonder how many plants have been thrown out because they were thought to have a virus but didn't and the symptoms were something else. Good luck!

[Paul Mc]

Where do you buy test strips and what are they called?

[ginnibug]

Agdia ImmunoStrips. These are very simple ,and I feel very reliable.
phone #800-622-4342
e-mail info@agdia.com Or you could get a hold of Critter Creek for lab testing but I don't have that info. ginnibug

[tucker85]

I would test the plant also. But when I have an orchid with clear signs of a virus I have no problem throwing it out. Many years ago I lost half my orchid collection because I had a plant with a virus and I didn't know about sterilizing tools. I don't take any chances now.

[Leafmite]

I spoke to a botanist friend because of my concerns and he said that, in his experience, the most tell-tale sign is a lack of vigorness. He said that this, combined with a test and any other symptoms is generally reliable. I am going to go with that. With viruses in humans, after an initial test is done, more tests often follow. Certain factors can create false positives and false negatives. I am not certain what does the false positives in plants but false negatives are often caused by too low a count. Then there are the viruses that are not detected....
Good luck, hope that your orchids don't have Dreaded Virus.

[Leafmite]

Yes, always sterilize tools, bake or boil anything reused (leca, volcanic rock, pots) to denature the proteins of viruses, and be careful repotting. Observe your orchids closely and remove and isolate any orchids immediately that show any suspicious signs. Sorry to hear you lost so many. I always fear that this could happen to my orchids. I am careful but there are insects and the leaves do sometimes touch. I really wish orchids weren't sold with viruses.

[tucker85]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

I spoke to a botanist friend because of my concerns and he said that, in his experience, the most tell-tale sign is a lack of vigorness. He said that this, combined with a test and any other symptoms is generally reliable. I am going to go with that. With viruses in humans, after an initial test is done, more tests often follow. Certain factors can create false positives and false negatives. I am not certain what does the false positives in plants but false negatives are often caused by too low a count. Then there are the viruses that are not detected....
Good luck, hope that your orchids don't have Dreaded Virus.

I agree with your botanist friend. The first thing I noticed with my infected plants was that they had lost their vigor. They grew poorly and just didn't look robust or healthy. Eventually I would get color break in the flowers or virus indication on the leaves. I'm quick to get rid of suspect plants now. My present collection contains healthy, strong growing plants that bloom well.