Yellow spot on miltoniopsis.... virus? or bacteria? - Orchid Board

orchidjunky · #1 06-07-2010, 01:44 AM

So what do you guys think this spotting is... Is it a virus, a bacteria or a fungus or insects? Its a shame cause it's blooming... BTW it's a miltoniopsis. Should I toss it? What to do.. what to do?

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #2 06-07-2010, 01:48 AM

Well...

You'll find out soon enough...

My guess is it's viral.

There are viral test kits to make sure.

camille1585 · #3 06-07-2010, 02:34 PM

It does look a lot like virus, but there's also a chance that it may be spidermites. Do you see any sort of webbing on the underside of the leaves? (can be hard to see) If you wipe the underside of the leaves with a damp papertowel, do you see anything on it after? If not, testing for virus is the only way to know for sure. Do you see any signs of color break (can be very small streaks) on the blooms?

orchidjunky · #4 06-07-2010, 05:01 PM

^^^

It's weird cause it's only on this particular pseudobulb's leaf. I don't think it's spidermites because I did not see anything after wiping... or any webbing.... It's bizzare because a week ago I did not see it there and all of a sudden its there now. The plant hasn't bloomed yet... if you look carefully you'll see the buds peeping out at the base of the leaf..

Eyebabe · #5 06-07-2010, 05:10 PM

Some of the other leaves look like they have brown/yellow tips...possibly from fertilizer or salts in the water supply?
I am wondering if the spots could then be from fertilizer spray or pesticide or other product you might spray around the plant?
Otherwise, I agree that it looks like virus.

orchidjunky · #6 06-07-2010, 06:19 PM

^^ I don't fertilize this plant at all.. .and it has bloomed for me every summer for three years. I think the tips are from the water supply... but the spotting is more what i'm wondering about... should I just toss it if it is viral... I don't want to really spend money on a viral kit as this was a very inexpensive orchid to begin with... though part of me wants to keep it because it seems to be blooming still... will the virus eventually kill the plant... or will they coexist for awhile?

Eyebabe · #7 06-07-2010, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orchidjunky

^^ I don't fertilize this plant at all.. .and it has bloomed for me every summer for three years. I think the tips are from the water supply... but the spotting is more what i'm wondering about... should I just toss it if it is viral... I don't want to really spend money on a viral kit as this was a very inexpensive orchid to begin with... though part of me wants to keep it because it seems to be blooming still... will the virus eventually kill the plant... or will they coexist for awhile?

The virus test would cost about $5 for the plant but you have to buy 25 tests for $120+shipping so the initial outlay of cash is high. If you have an orchid nursery nearby, you could possibly get them to test it for you for maybe $5-$6. Agdia.com sells the tests.
Depending on the virus, you could keep it as long as it is flourishing. This is the case for CymMV, taking care when handling your plants not to spread it. I have four very robust, flowering specimens that are CymMV positive...but I have isolated them.
If it were ORSV you would pitch it immed. regardless.
So I would try to virus test...
Eventually, the virus does kill the plant

camille1585 · #8 06-07-2010, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eyebabe

Depending on the virus, you could keep it as long as it is flourishing. This is the case for CymMV, taking care when handling your plants not to spread it. I have four very robust, flowering specimens that are CymMV positive...but I have isolated them.
If it were ORSV you would pitch it immed. regardless.
So I would try to virus test...
Eventually, the virus does kill the plant

A virus is a virus, I don't see why keeping CymMV+ plants around is safer than keeping OSRV+ plants.

I would think that you could at least keep the plant while it's blooming, but keep it separated. After it's done blooming, it's up to you whether you toss it or not. I agree that the test strips are expensive to buy, but why not send a sample to Critter Creek Labs? They only charge you $5 per sample, and you'd just have to add in postage. Could be worth it if you have any interest in keeping the plant IF it's clean! Critter Creek Laboratory

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #9 06-07-2010, 10:43 PM

I wouldn't keep a plant with a virus around. If it infects your entire collection, that's hundreds of dollars down the toilet.

You're going to eventually have to destroy a plant infected with a virus anyways. Why wait until it ruins and kills everything else? (Yeah, that's right, a viral infection slowly kills the plant off because it interferes with the genetic coding so much over a period of time, that the plant will eventually no longer be able to function. It's not just that it makes the plant look ugly.)

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #10 06-07-2010, 10:51 PM

Virus basics...

Virus (insert name of virus) infects host.

Virus attaches onto whatever part of the host it prefers to attach to using protein receptors.

Virus unravels it's DNA or RNA (depending on the kind of virus we're dealing with), and inserts its DNA or RNA coding into the host cell's DNA or RNA.

Viral DNA or viral RNA interferes with genetic coding of the host DNA or RNA.

Eventually new viral particles are formed from the original viral infection due to the original virus injecting its own genetic coding into the host cell.

Host cell dies.

New viruses of the same kind are born and spread.

More virus particles continue the process until, host is no longer able to function, and therefore dies.

This is just the basics. It gets funky.

There are no known cures for any virus.

Viruses are able to mutate and adapt very rapidly (they operate on the Theory of Evolution on steroids).