Pine Ridge phals and viruses

[phragguy]

in my eyes alot of cloned plants from over seas were virused to begin with,that is why we have the major problem now

[orchidsarefun]

the site does have a lot of useful info

Critter Creek Laboratory

I am going to send a couple of samples. I think I may have inadvertently contaminated a couple in my collection when I cut the Confetti Burst spikes, along with others. I thought I had disinfected the tool after each cut, but probably not to standard.

Thanks Escualida for pursuing this. I also think people don't realise the imact. It may be "fine" if there are no visible signs of virus as you think that its not a major problem, but when there is evidence of a virus its a major pain. The Confetti Burst orchid I have has literally driven me crazy and I have tried just about every remedy on the leaves ( including neosporin cream ) to try and "fix" something that is unfixable. Now I know better....

[DavidCampen]

Originally Posted by orchidsarefun

the site does have a lot of useful info

Critter Creek Laboratory

I am going to send a couple of samples. I think I may have inadvertently contaminated a couple in my collection when I cut the Confetti Burst spikes, along with others. I thought I had disinfected the tool after each cut, but probably not to standard.

I flame my cutting tools using a butane torch, much hotter than a butane lighter:
Amazon.com: Iwatani Torch Burner Professional #Cb-tc-pro: Kitchen & Dining
I spend probably 30 seconds playing the flame against all surfaces.

Thanks Escualida for pursuing this. I also think people don't realise the imact. It may be "fine" if there are no visible signs of virus as you think that its not a major problem, but when there is evidence of a virus its a major pain. The Confetti Burst orchid I have has literally driven me crazy and I have tried just about every remedy on the leaves ( including neosporin cream ) to try and "fix" something that is unfixable. Now I know better....

A plant does not, and by my observation often does not, have to display the classic ringspot, fleck or mosaic mottling for its health to be affected. Also it seems that the deleterious effects of the viruses are synergistic, a plant may tolerate reasonably well infection with one virus but if it then becomes infected with another different virus ( say ORSV and CymMV) then its health will go into serious decline. Of the 9 plants of mine that have tested positive for ORSV and/or CymMV, none had the classic viral mottling; but one of those plants, I had been observing for many months wondering what was wrong with it, it just did not seem to be vigorous, it turned out to be infected with both ORSV and CymMV.