My mini virus test results - Orchid Board

silken · #1 02-13-2013, 05:00 PM

Today I received a small kit of 5 Agdia immuno test strips and the little pouches. The tests were for Cymbidium mosaic virus and Odontoglossum ringspot virus. I didn't want to spend hundreds testing all my orchids and just had a couple that troubled me.

A lot of my Miltoniopsis and Oncids get sort of spotty or streaky leaves. I don't know why as many grow well and bloom well. The milts are not the most robust but I am sure I just don't have the culture perfected yet. So I did one token Miltoniopsis with a typical spotty/streaky leaf and the results were negative. I am relieved as many of mine are like that and they don't share water etc. so how could they all be virused.

4 of the 5 tests were negative and only the Cattleya I really suspected to be virused came back positive for both viruses! It is already in the garbage, pot and all. Attached are some pics of it and the test strip. It was growing two new growths and lots of roots but lots of growths had died, even previous new ones before they got more than a few inches tall. The bottom line on the test strip is CymMV and the next one is ORSV and the top line is the control line. I realize plants could have other viruses, but these seem to be the most common and most dreaded in orchid growing.

SJF · #2 02-13-2013, 05:09 PM

sorry, just tested some of mine, new acquistions, with the same type of viral results

silken · #3 02-13-2013, 05:43 PM

Bummer. I hope it wasn't too many. Most of my orchids don't give me any reason to suspect a problem. So I won't test them all since it is quite expensive. But I was glad to know about these few which were all fine but the one.

camille1585 · #4 02-13-2013, 06:00 PM

I wanted to test a few of my suspicious plants a few years ago, and contacted Agdia to find out who their European distributors were. But they kept shuttling me around, " no if you're in the netherlands you have to contact x". Do that and I get sent somewhere else, and so on, and it seems like they are only selling to businesses/researchers here. Never did figure out how to order strips!

silken · #5 02-13-2013, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camille1585

I wanted to test a few of my suspicious plants a few years ago, and contacted Agdia to find out who their European distributors were. But they kept shuttling me around, " no if you're in the netherlands you have to contact x". Do that and I get sent somewhere else, and so on, and it seems like they are only selling to businesses/researchers here. Never did figure out how to order strips!

I went on their website and was prepared to order the 25 strips for I think it was $120.00 and when I went to put my address in, there was just about every country in the world but Canada if you can believe it! Some I had never heard of. So I called them and they said they now had a Canadian distributor and they gave me the info for them. I contacted them and was able to buy a small kit of 5 tests for $37.00. More $$ for each test I realize but another time I might buy more. This was all in the last few weeks. They also revised their website recently. Maybe you should e-mail or phone them if you can.

DavidCampen · #6 02-15-2013, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camille1585

I wanted to test a few of my suspicious plants a few years ago, and contacted Agdia to find out who their European distributors were. But they kept shuttling me around, " no if you're in the netherlands you have to contact x". Do that and I get sent somewhere else, and so on, and it seems like they are only selling to businesses/researchers here. Never did figure out how to order strips!

You might get a better response from this UK based company:
Ornamentals

---------- Post added at 11:55 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:36 AM ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by silken

I've wondered that and should get a pH meter .

I consider pH meters to be too much of a hassle to be worth it for occasional use. You have to store the pH meter with its probe kept wet in a storage solution and if you actually want a correct reading then you also need to perform a 2 point calibration, using 2 buffer solutions, every day that you use the pH meter. So in addition to the pH meter you need a bottle of storage solution and 2 bottles of buffer solutions.

I use pH papers. With an assortment of pH papers in different ranges you can determine pH to within 1/2 unit.
I use these Hydrion brand Microfine pH papers in the ranges 2.9-5.2, 4.9-6.9 and 6.0-8.0:
Micro Essential Lab Hydrion MicroFine pH Test Paper Dispenser: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
Along with another couple of rolls of broader range papers.

camille1585 · #7 02-15-2013, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidCampen

You might get a better response from this UK based company:
Ornamentals

OMG, you are going to get a GIANT laugh out of this... So I went to the site you posted, found the list of European distributors and you know what? The distributor for the Netherlands is located... in the building where I work!! At the other end of the hallway.

Plant Research International is part of Wageningen University. OMG, I don't think I have laughed so hard in ages.

NYCorchidman · #8 02-15-2013, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camille1585

OMG, you are going to get a GIANT laugh out of this... So I went to the site you posted, found the list of European distributors and you know what? The distributor for the Netherlands is located... in the building where I work!! At the other end of the hallway.

Plant Research International is part of Wageningen University. OMG, I don't think I have laughed so hard in ages.

Good for you, Camille!

silken · #9 02-15-2013, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidCampen

I consider pH meters to be too much of a hassle to be worth it for occasional use. You have to store the pH meter with its probe kept wet in a storage solution and if you actually want a correct reading then you also need to perform a 2 point calibration, using 2 buffer solutions, every day that you use the pH meter. So in addition to the pH meter you need a bottle of storage solution and 2 bottles of buffer solutions.

I use pH papers. With an assortment of pH papers in different ranges you can determine pH to within 1/2 unit.
I use these Hydrion brand Microfine pH papers in the ranges 2.9-5.2, 4.9-6.9 and 6.0-8.0:
Micro Essential Lab Hydrion MicroFine pH Test Paper Dispenser: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
Along with another couple of rolls of broader range papers.

Thanks for the info. Yes, a meter sounds like a lot of hassle. I might be at a hydroponics store next weekend. Would they carry this sort of stuff? It seems unbelievable but our city of approx. 250,000 doesn't have even one hydroponics store anymore! I'll be in Edmonton next weekend at an orchid show!

DavidCampen · #10 02-16-2013, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silken

Thanks for the info. Yes, a meter sounds like a lot of hassle. I might be at a hydroponics store next weekend. Would they carry this sort of stuff? It seems unbelievable but our city of approx. 250,000 doesn't have even one hydroponics store anymore! I'll be in Edmonton next weekend at an orchid show!

I don't know if a hydroponics store would have much if any of a selection of pH papers. The only thing I buy from a hydroponics store is Hydroton (now Hydrocorn).
I buy a lot from Amazon.com but I see that the Canadian version has a much more limited selection.