Its never too late to start checkin for Virus

[RJSquirrel]

On a serious note from the Desk of RJSquirrel..

Oh boy I hope some of you, if not most of you, will take heed or at least consider this if you haven't already done so. I never thought a few years and 1 lone phal ago, I would have ever ended up with over 200 orchids. I havent had too much trouble other than my failure to communicate with them in some unspoken language. Now has come the time where it has been found that some plants that were given to me long ago have now tested positive for ORSV by the original donor. Doesnt mean that mine have virus but It means I have to check them now.

I know at least the last 90 or so should be okey. Its the older ones that worry me bec these are the ones showing odd signs of virus. I guess I will start with these oldest plants 1st, work my way up until I get to some point I feel comfortable with. I have to eventually check them all If I want to continue doing this. Some of the plants arent worth the 7 dollar price tag for a virus test strip. Im afraid if these are suspect they have to go in the trash can.
What I am saying here is you need to start testing your plants before you have 200 to check. If you want to do this at all and have a decent stock of plants you have to make sure they are clean. Not just of bugs and pest but virus too. It just never concerned me much bec Im just little ole me with a few orchids. Now Im just little ole me and got a few too many to test. I know that most of the stuff I got from orchid vendors is probably okey. My concerns are with the odd noid phals and cyms I brought home on occasion from the HD or the grocery store. Rescues from freinds. I just cant do that anymore . I have to much invested to let a nice looking phal 'foul' the lot up. Read about some of the viruses coming out of Taiwan right now and then read about the box stores getting 20,000 a month in a shipping container right from the source and you see my concern.

Im kind of sad I have to do this, but on the bright side when Im done and clean, I can feel better about the odd troubles I have and dont have to sit and worry about it being virus. All plants now incoming will be tested.

https://orders.agdia.com/InventoryD....K+13301&loc=IN

[Wynn Dee13]

Good luck on testing! Let us know the results. Too bad you or any of us have to pay a small fortune on test strips to test a large collection. I too have around 200 orchids and should test for viruses. I just can't afford that many test strips right now. Well I guess I could but I would rather spend the money on something else like more orchids! I should do it sooner than later though. Before 200 turns into 300. I hope test strips become more affordable in the near future!

[RJSquirrel]

I hope the let you know is a good letting ya know. Ive been reading about these viruses and I found that if you even smoke cigarettes you can transfer TMV to your collection. The worst horror story I read was about a collection 97% infected and it all had to go. Dormant viruses in orchid clones and meristems DO exist and when stressed the plant will display the virus. In fact one said you dont need test strips, just stress your plants some and see how they respond. You have too many orchids Wyndee, not to start testing them soon at some point. Its not an option with that many plants to test or not to test. If I had seen the big picture long ago I would have tested the odd plant as I went along. I dont see this a problem, I see it as an end to any mystery about whats going on with these few plants. I really really am worried they are going to spread their nasty yellowing spotty chlorotic leaves by way of virile infection. If not okey. I can accept thats its an old plant Ive had for a long time. I havent done well with them and they arent happy then thats a different lesson for me.

Too many little things wrong with these plants I mention bec they dont bloom they dont grow fast like the others and the leaves have odd spotting in the new growth. Just gets worse as the leaf gets older...
Could be bad culture by me or the worst case virus.
Like I say I just cant take any chances anymore I have too many plants. Strips are expensive but I do have some very expensive orchids also...This just should have never happened like this. They tell us we listen somewhat then move in and think it wont happen to me.

But thanks you I'm going to order 10 strips a week until I'm happy or don't have any orchids left.
This has been a eye opener to be sure....

I would post pictures of these plants but they are shameful to look at and the fact that Ive even tried to keep hanging on to them for some reason Im yet to figure.

[Wynn Dee13]

What kind of test strips are you going to get? The strips that test for the Cymbidium mosaic virus and Ondontoglossum ringspot virus? Are you going to get the Tabacco mosaic virus strips too? I wish they had strips that tested for all three so you don't have to buy the two different test strips.

[DTEguy]

The strips are so expensive, I would personally do a sample pooling system to cut down the cost if I have a huge number to test.

[MrsSky]

Please keep us updated on what you find. You have such a nice collection. Is it one type of orchid you are worried about from one source? Hope the strips help you sort it out and keep your collection healthy.

[rangiku]

RJ, I believe you can get a lower price per strip if you buy a higher number of them. Maybe you could see if there are people from your local OS who want to buy some with you.

[RJSquirrel]

yay I can get them for a few dollars less, at this point thats not going to help a whole lot. and a sample pooling indeed. I have some that are divisions and those plants I can test just 1 of. The newest orchids have been kept separated so I can not worry about checking those right now. I swear from what I'm seeing Ive got CMV on some paphs, one went into the trash this morning it was so ugly anyway and not worth a 7 dollar strip. Ive noticed much to my great dismay most of the plants experiencing these odd difficulties seem to be coming from one place and Im going to isolate them and test them in a sample pool also. I dont have to go buy 200 strips thank goodness. But the few plants in question are 7 noid brassia divisions that bulbed up with most awful looking streaks and hard rust spots on the leaves. A phaius kryptonite which grew 4 new bulbs and right off the bat the new leaves were horrible spotty yellow with brown hard rust spots on them. TRashed all the bulbs and new growths. So I cleaned out 6 today lol..Its a start and the plants were so bad looking anyway maybe I was looking for a good reason to rid myself of the eye sores. ....But yep got to really think more about this some. Willy nilly was okey for a will now Willy needs his nilly checked.

.... but thanks its all good progress here, progress sometimes has to work backwards before it moves forward. Im kind of lookin forward already to filling the empty pots.. .

[DTEguy]

Here's a suggestion for a pooling system.

After reading the user guide the facts are:

1) There are 3 ml of buffer in each bag. Therefore you can't change the volume unless you order more buffer.

The amount of sample was also suggested to make sure that the final goop is not too thick for it to wick up the strip.

2) Detection can be as long as 30 minutes if the number of virus "titre" is low.


Example of a pooling system with 3 samples per strip:

The suggested amount of leaf to be used/bag is 0.15 gram. To make sure that the resulting goop is not too thick for 3 samples, you should divide that by 3 and use 0.05 gram per sample. I would use the same type of samples throughout.

*An interesting fact here is that you need less amount of spike than other tissues; higher virus load or perhaps easier to turn into goop?*

If that group is tested as positive, you will need to use 3 more extra strip to figure out which one is the one with virus, you will end up using more strips. Therefore, I would use the pooling system on the plants that I think are healthy.

Please take all this with a grain of salt, since I do not know what the minimal detection level for the strip is and what the positive control is based on.

Please keep in mind that the more you increase number of samples, the less amount of sample you can use, the more diluted the virus, and the higher chance of not detecting an infected plant.

However, to my experience, when it comes to other immunodetection methods in a laboratory setting, it is super sensitive.

One more note is that even if a plant is tested as clean, it doesn't really mean that it is not infected. The orchid's immune system could be suppressing the virus, making it dormant and undetected. Therefore, if the plant is healthy, an older leaf will be a good candidate.

[Cym Ladye]

Sadly, the suppliers to the box stores could care less about virus. Their only interest is in making money. I commend you RJ for testing! As you discovered, well established virus may be detected visually and why bother with a test strip. It is the plants that show no symptoms that are the real problem. The fact you have detected a tainted source for some of your plants is paramount to avoiding this source in the future and in checking all the plants previously purchased from that source.

I agree with looking into buying in larger quantities. Our club buys from Agdia in lots of 250 and then resells to members at our cost plus tax of $5 a strip.