Nectria on roots of Neofinetia Falcata

[Longroots]

I recieved this orchid 4 months ago, and so far it has put out a tiny bit of a new leaf. I did put it into semi hydroponics, and earlier, it popped a dead brown root out of the pot and I saw some red balls on it that look identical to Nectria. The other Neofinetia has taken very well to semi hydro, put out a new leaf and seems happy, although the this Neofinetia also seemed ok.

I've repotted it into a bark/moss mix (having removed this bit of dead root) in a Dracula basket, ran hydrogen peroxide through the roots, then ran over it with rain water. It is now quarantined. I've seen previous threads say this is a strain of fusarium, and that throws up mixed feelings for people here I know. Is there a chance that this is a Nectria fungus that isn't fusarium? It was only on the dead root tip, no where else. Is it likely to be fusarium after having it for 4 months? Is the other Neofinetia doing well in semi hydroponics because it doesn't have fusarium to set it back?

I'm keeping it for now, but if it gets worse, I'll throw it, and definitely not use the vendor again, as I've had issues with a plant arriving with cymmv.

Thanks

[Dimples]

There are so many fungal spores floating around in the environment, including in your home, and a mind boggling number of different types of fungi. Unless you send in a sample and get the type ID’d by a lab or a university and it turns out to be a big baddie, or if it becomes a serious problem inside the pot, a tiny bit of anything growing on some dead tissue isn’t anything to worry about.

I’ve had similar tiny orange-ish balls on some dead roots on new phals potted in moss. They disappeared shortly after the plants were repotted into bark.

[estación seca]

What are your growing conditions? Temperature day/night, relative humidity, light?

[Longroots]

Nights are about 20c, day 25c, depends on outside weather. Humidity between 50-65 humidity. Light is not really measurable, but acceptable for my Bulbophyllum Elizabeth Ann Buckleberry which is producing a flower spikes right next to it.

[estación seca]

I should have asked about fertilization as well. It's a miniature Vanda, and they grow better with lots of fertilizer. Underfertilized Vandas hardly grow.

It would probably prefer more light than your Bulbo.

[Longroots]

But this really isn't to do with the red balls on the root. I want to know what this is, and what people think I should do. I don't need general care for it, my other is doing brilliantly. It didn't take to semi hydro because it wasn't in a suitable growth cycle stage or because it has something sinister, I'm trying to determine which. This could also be slime mould, but again want to hear what others think about the stuff on the root, not the plant itself.

[Dimples]

Like I said, a little bit of something-something growing on dead plant tissue, especially in the pot where conditions are more consistently damp, isn’t anything to worry about. There is no way to accurately identify a fungus as generic as that one without professional assistance, or a microscope and years of experience studying fungus. Anybody that tells you otherwise is guessing and will probably tell you the plant is a goner and you should toss it before it spreads to the rest of your collection, your wallboard, and overtakes you in your sleep - all nonsense.

You’ve already repotted the plant. Let it be, give it the care it requires, and see what happens.

[estación seca]

I don't think the plant is infected with fungus. I would guess it's feeding on dead tissue. Fungal infection rarely happens to healthy plants unless temperatures are far from ideal, roots are suffocated and/or humidity is far too high. I don't think any of that applied to your plant.

[camille1585]

The red balls could indeed be sexual morphs of Fusarium, but they could also be other types of fungus which feed on decaying plant matter. Failure to thrive in S/H could also just be a sign that the timing of transition was slightly off, or that this plant was already weaker to begin with.

I would keep it apart and monitor

[Longroots]

Thank you both. I think in doing the right thing then, quarantining from the rest of my collection. The only bit of root that was rotting was about 2.5cm, so it has obviously been removed. If any more root begins to rot and then I see more red stuff, then is that more indicative of Fusarium? Either way, the next 3 months I'll keep it separate.