Viruses or thrips? - Orchid Board

Merita · #1 07-26-2021, 03:55 PM

Hello everyone:
I am worried, this plant is strong and healthy, but I am seeing that it will bring the broken color. What do you believe? I haven't fumigated for a few months because it rains almost every day and my palms are full of flowers.

SouthPark · #2 07-26-2021, 04:40 PM

Merita ----- check out this link here.

Hard to say at the moment if the effect is due to thrips. Not necessarily virus related.

If it does turn out to be thrip damage ----- then with those other buds that haven't opened yet, you could maybe use one of those hair dresser atomiser sprayers ----- and spray pyrethrum or pyrethrin solution onto all the buds - including the buds that are opening. Spray the spike as well - even the leaves. Pyrethrum isn't expected to damage buds etc.

Merita · #3 07-26-2021, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SouthPark

Merita ----- check out this link here.

Hard to say at the moment if the effect is due to thrips. Not necessarily virus related.

If it does turn out to be thrip damage ----- then with those other buds that haven't opened yet, you could maybe use one of those hair dresser atomiser sprayers ----- and spray pyrethrum or pyrethrin solution onto all the buds - including the buds that are opening. Spray the spike as well - even the leaves. Pyrethrum isn't expected to damage buds etc.

Thanks SouthPark, I had to open the pods for this plant so that the water would not rot the flowers and since I saw the spike they already came like this.

SouthPark · #4 07-26-2021, 05:58 PM

Most welcome Merita. Did the spikes come out from sheaths? Or they are sheathless spikes?

Merita · #5 07-26-2021, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SouthPark

Most welcome Merita. Did the spikes come out from sheaths? Or they are sheathless spikes?

They were in sheaths, I opened them because they filled with water and I saw them like this, they are already opening, tomorrow I upload a photo; the second ear has less but still takes a few days to open. They are under five palms that are full of flowers. From what I saw in the link you told me they seem like thrips damage

SouthPark · #6 07-26-2021, 10:02 PM

Merita --- thanks for mentioning that there were sheaths. There was one time - I bought an orchid from a nursery, which was flowering --- and didn't realise that they had watered the orchid (sprinklers maybe) ---- and the sheath was filled with water. I wasn't aware that the sheath was filled. And the new and nice flowers very quickly wilted ----- most likely as a result of the water inside the sheath.

In your case ------ not sure what caused the damage to your flowers. Maybe it could be thrip activity after all.

Roberta · #7 07-27-2021, 12:07 AM

That looks like thrip damage to me - They can attack a bud, and damage the flower before it opens. Sometimes the buds then blast. If the flowers do open, they may have what looks like dried edges. If flowers open before the attack, then you may get spots on the flowers where the surface gets nibbled. Did I mention that I HATE thrips??? I think that I hate thrips even more than I hate scale... the latter is easier to control. Thrips are resistant to pesticides, systemics don't bother them much, and they are everywhere... kill one batch and more fly in. And they are small enough to get through window screens.

A note about virus... the only way to determine it is by testing. It doesn't show up suddenly... takes time to develop. It can cause color break on flowers or it can have no symptoms at all except maybe failure to thrive. It is pretty much the last thing that I consider, not the first. (You should have a supply of test strips handy for when you suspect it) I don't see color break on the buds, just buds that have been damaged... very consistent with insect damage.

Merita · #8 07-27-2021, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roberta

That looks like thrip damage to me - They can attack a bud, and damage the flower before it opens. Sometimes the buds then blast. If the flowers do open, they may have what looks like dried edges. If flowers open before the attack, then you may get spots on the flowers where the surface gets nibbled. Did I mention that I HATE thrips??? I think that I hate thrips even more than I hate scale... the latter is easier to control. Thrips are resistant to pesticides, systemics don't bother them much, and they are everywhere... kill one batch and more fly in. And they are small enough to get through window screens.

A note about virus... the only way to determine it is by testing. It doesn't show up suddenly... takes time to develop. It can cause color break on flowers or it can have no symptoms at all except maybe failure to thrive. It is pretty much the last thing that I consider, not the first. (You should have a supply of test strips handy for when you suspect it) I don't see color break on the buds, just buds that have been damaged... very consistent with insect damage.

Thanks Roberta:
I'm looking forward to thrips, they hit me a lot, I grow in the yard and fight squirrels, birds, sun and insects, but thrips once destroyed all my summer flowering, I control them with Orthene and I haven't fumigated for a few months because it rains almost every day, the flowers have already opened and if their color is broken. I put them here for you to see.

Merita · #9 07-27-2021, 01:43 PM

The flowers

Clawhammer · #10 07-27-2021, 01:49 PM

That doesn't look like thrip damage to me. They usually (always) work from the edge of a petal/sepal, not the middle. The remaining patches that enlarge from the edge toward the center are grey/silver, not a darker color.

I just won (knock on wood) a 16 month battle with thrips in my basement grow room.

Something else going on here.