Results of ORSV and CymMV testing

[bballr4567]

Diseases spread, it's what they do. The fact that so many of our crops are genetically enhanced means that the past generations of natural resistance are just thrown away.

Only way to stop it is to stop purchasing. A victim of our own wants and desires.

[Leafmite]

I think I will stop purchasing. It is a little irresponsible, like planting an invasive species or releasing exotic snakes in the Everglades. I have fruit and nut trees (including an American chestnut that is likely doomed), really nice indoor plants, and risking all this for more orchids just isn't worth it. I thought by using reputable vendors I wasn't taking much risk but...so not worth it.

[bballr4567]

The issue is that the orchid diseases are pretty common in nature. There is a reason they are named is because they have been seen and recognized.

Just prevent cross contamination and watch your plants. Nothing you have growing is immune. Just the way of nature.

[DavidCampen]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

You know, its funny, but when I purchase other exotic plants, they are always healthy. I really don't understand why virused plants are allowed to be sold. Viruses could (and do) spread to plants that produce our food. Wow. Look at all the diseases that have been allowed to move into and around our country...Dutch Elm Disease, American Chestnut Blight, Fire Blight (pears), Citrus Greening...just to name a few. When does it end? When do we learn from our mistakes?

All sorts of economically important plants suffer from pathogenic viruses. Look at the Agdia web site, 7 pages of plant virus tests:
https://orders.agdia.com/inventory.asp?CatId={5A66C559-B3A6-42CC-BC08-487688816607}

[SJF]

Originally Posted by DavidCampen

Carter&Holmes has a few phals:
• Phalaenopsis: Carter and Holmes Orchids

I have a bunch of cattleya species and also BLC and LC that I purchased from them. I have tested many of them and all that I have tested were negative for ORSV or CymMV.

I just copied this from Carter and Holmes website. This is the kind of health and virus policy I am happy to see from a company. They just got an order from me.
From website:



"68 Years and Still Growing!

Home Shop Visit C&H Contact Us Orchid Care Privacy Wholesale

It Starts in the Laboratory

Our laboratory was established over 35 years ago and was one of the first in the US to clone orchids. Hundreds of thousands of orchid seedlings and clones are produced by our laboratory each year.

By producing our own plants we are able to assure you that they are true to name and virus free. Our “shoot-proliferation” method takes a longer time to produce an orchid plant, but greatly reduces the chance of any mutations in our clones. In order to keep our laboratory as clean as possible, it is only open to laboratory personnel.

Then the Growing Room

This is but one section of shelves in the “growing room” of the laboratory. Plants are carried through three stages - seed flask, transplant flask, and final flask. We do not have lists of flasks for sale, but we can sometimes supply your needs. The inventory constantly changes, so contact us regarding your needs.

Final Step - The Greenhouse

Once they leave the laboratory, our orchid plants are cared for in one of our 18 greenhouses. (The greenhouses are open to the public, so please stop by and visit us.) As each plant grows it is periodically repotted to allow it to reach maturity. The following is an estimate of the time until flowering for standard cattleya orchid plant:

2.5" pot - 2 to 3 years
3" pot - 2 years
3.5" pot - 1 to 2 years
4" pot - Near blooming size - 12 to 18 months
5" pot - Blooming size - within 12 months"

[Bolero]

I have been saying for years that most plants will have a 'latent' virus much like humans do (and the vendors response kind of confirms this as well).

We have viruses inside us that may or may not affect us at some point in the future. Most plants I believe will have a latent virus. Did you test the plants because they were showing outward signs of a virus or because you just wanted to test them?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I used to work for Norman's Orchids. I know how they treat their orchids.

Most of their stock are grown in moss. There are many instances where the moss is so broken down, it is literally dirt. When I sent those to the repotting station to be repotted, I was yelled at for it.

I'm not surprised their stock is virused. If they were exposed to dirty conditions like that, the chances of the plant getting infected with a disease is far greater.

[SJF]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

I used to work for Norman's Orchids. I know how they treat their orchids.

Most of their stock are grown in moss. There are many instances where the moss is so broken down, it is literally dirt. When I sent those to the repotting station to be repotted, I was yelled at for it.

I'm not surprised their stock is virused. If they were exposed to dirty conditions like that, the chances of the plant getting infected with a disease is far greater.

That is sad to hear. I am excited to get my order from Carter and Holmes

[DavidCampen]

Originally Posted by Bolero

I have been saying for years that most plants will have a 'latent' virus much like humans do (and the vendors response kind of confirms this as well).

We have viruses inside us that may or may not affect us at some point in the future. Most plants I believe will have a latent virus. Did you test the plants because they were showing outward signs of a virus or because you just wanted to test them?

This thread is about ORSV and CymMV; both of these are _known_ to be pathogenic in orchids i.e. they hurt the orchid. Some orchids may not show any effect from infection with one of these, some others may just exhibit a lack of vigor while others exhibit severe effects.
If you have an orchid infected with one of these viruses, even if it does not show any effects, it has the potential to contaminate other plants in your collection that may then very well suffer serious detrimental effects.

To date I have tested about 90 of my 160 plants for CymMV and ORSV using the Agdia test strips. By the end of the year I expect to have tested all of my plants.

[SJF]

Originally Posted by DavidCampen

This thread is about ORSV and CymMV; both of these are _known_ to be pathogenic in orchids i.e. they hurt the orchid. Some orchids may not show any effect from infection with one of these, some others may just exhibit a lack of vigor while others exhibit severe effects.
If you have an orchid infected with one of these viruses, even if it does not show any effects, it has the potential to contaminate other plants in your collection that may then very well suffer serious detrimental effects.

To date I have tested about 90 of my 160 plants for CymMV and ORSV using the Agdia test strips. By the end of the year I expect to have tested all of my plants.

Exactly, and some of us find it important to purchase orchids that don't have those viruses. If I spend my money on an orchid I would like it to be free of various diseases and insects (such as the mentioned viruses, scale, thrips, mealybugs, bacterial and fungal diseases). To order an orchid and receive it with one of the mentioned issues is insulting, a waste of time and money