Orchid virus soapbox

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I'm loud enough I don't need a soapbox. I have given lectures to large audiences without a microphone when the A/V system failed.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

When I meant NHS issue - I meant 4 of us is too much. If the soap box collapses, then it will most likely end in tears.

Hey, at least you HAVE an NHS...

[MJG]

On this subject, I have recently discovered and fallen in love with masdevallias. There will be MANY of them in my new terrarium. I've read that masdevallias are unusually susceptible to insect-borne viruses. In particular they are susceptible to bean yellow mosaic virus whose primary vector is aphids. The virus can be quite devastating.

I checked, and Agdia sells a test strip kit for potyviruses. This is a different test kit than the one I've been using for cymv and orsv. The kit will test for bean yellow mosaic virus in orchids.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by MJG

“It is a cursed evil to any man to become as absorbed in any subject as I am in mine.” -- Charles Darwin .

Also - the famous words of Effie Stephanidis:

"Beauty ... it's a curse ................ and I've got it."

[MJG]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

Also - the famous words of Effie Stephanidis:

"Beauty ... it's a curse ................ and I've got it."

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Originally Posted by MJG

...I've read that masdevallias are unusually susceptible to insect-borne viruses. In particular they are susceptible to yellow-bean virus whose primary vector is aphids....

Perhaps consider covering your terrarium vents with fine window screening, or even some kind of very sheer nylon window curtain fabric, to exclude small insects.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Roberta

My biologist friend did investigate the issue (collected data from other people, as well as doing his own testing, there have been studies) and found a very low-to-negligible level of virus in the wild. Conclusion... the primary vector is two-legged.

When I first read that, I thought "BS", because the viruses that infect plants in captivity have to originate in the wild, but then I guessed that "low to negligible level" is referring to incidence, not presence, and that makes more sense.

In the wild, an infected plant is likely to lead to demise of the colony of nearby plants more than being widespread; in a greenhouse, there is no "widespread".

[SouthPark]

Ray - with transportation services (courier services etc) - transferring of one orchid from a green-house to some other destination ----- there is a possibility for widespread. On the other hand, you did mention 'colony' - so that's understandable - about a species population in a region.

In the wild, the virus is probably having a hard time trying to survive - itself heheheh.

I reckon us humans are probably the most destructive 'virus' of all. But ------ to be fair ----- it's all 'natural'. Everything that is happening in the 'universe' is pretty much 'natural'. And 'nature' has no emotion. Things just go the way they go.

But at least there are a lot of caring humans/people around - like us heheh.

[Leafmite]

I can understand how good/reputable vendors accidentally sell virused orchids. They may test an orchid and, due to the virus load being low, it tests negative. Or, perhaps a visitor to the greenhouse has touched a tobacco product infected with mosaic virus, does not wash their hands well, and then touches the vendor's plants. Mosaic virus can be easily spread this way. While it will be rare for a good/reputable vendor to sell virused plants, it will happen because it is not entirely preventable. That is just the reality. As you have seen, good/reputable vendors will replace plants because they understand the value of a virus-free collection.

I try to be careful with my collection but I do not test my orchids. I keep new orchids isolated for a few months and observe them before adding them to the collection. I always buy from vendors I trust. I watch my orchids to make certain that they grow as expected. I watch the leaves and observe the flowers. I buy young orchids a few years from blooming (less chance of being infected). Still, I know that there is a good chance that I will encounter virus in my collection at some point. I am not sure it can be completely avoided. I put my plants outside for the summer and I grow other types of plants, including figs, which, it seems, are often virused (I have not seen signs of virus in the figs but I keep my figs away from the other plants).
My plan is just to toss the orchid/orchids if this happens and probably not buy new orchids. Virus doesn't seem to be as big a problem for many other plants, perhaps because they are more resistant.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

Ray - with transportation services (courier services etc) - transferring of one orchid from a green-house to some other destination ----- there is a possibility for widespread. On the other hand, you did mention 'colony' - so that's understandable - about a species population in a region.

I think we're on the same page here. By "there is no widespread" I meant that, unlike the distances between colonies of orchids in the wild (widespread), in a greenhouse, everything is bunched together, making virus spread much easier.

But that just adds to your comments about shipping. A greenhouse plant, due to no "social distancing" (where have I heard that before???) is far more likely to be a carrier, so if it has been shipped, can carry the virus to another collection (artificial "colony") very easily.