Treating Crown Rot on Phalaenopsis

[Charlaux]

Hi,
As a reader of this forum I thought I could survive by just reading.Unfortunately,my phalaenopsis has a crown rot (possibly crown rot but it started at the bottom) and I want to make this plant survive no matter how hard It will be,to try at least.

Thank you for your support

[Ray]

It actually looks dry in that photo, but to be safe, sprinkle some powdered cinnamon on the wound, and be sure not to get that tissue wet.

That's about all you can do, but it looks like the plant has a good chance of doing fine.

Those roots look like it could use repotting, though.

[Charlaux]

Originally Posted by Ray

It actually looks dry in that photo, but to be safe, sprinkle some powdered cinnamon on the wound, and be sure not to get that tissue wet.

That's about all you can do, but it looks like the plant has a good chance of doing fine.

Those roots look like it could use repotting, though.

Thank you.

It will be the first thing to on Monday as ıt is in my parents house and they will return that day Yesterday they cleaned it with hydrogen peroxide.

Should I try to cut the wound or is it okay If it should stay like this ? It was a really healthy plant and I really hope It will get better.It is so hard to be a university student that you have to leave this plant there without my help.

[Charlaux]

I don't know If I want to say that way or whether if it is true but here is what it looked like two days ago.

For me,not a significant difference but still I think the plant is not ready to give yet.

And Ray, I forgot to say this as I was writing quickly and going to class but thank you for understanding me. In some of the forums,when I asked a saving tip they just said throw it to the bin which I just can't even though the forum is still one of the best for me. Again thank you so much for the morale and sharing rescue tips

[bil]

I haven't had crown rot, so can't comment, but I would try Mancozeb. This year my white Amaryllis bloomed well, and then all succumbed to their own version of crown rot, in that the heart stared to rot out.

I was going to throw them out, but out of curiosity I sprinkled raw mancozeb into the cavity and left them sitting on the ground to dry. After a couple of weeks, they hadn't done anything, but the rotten cavities had dried out, so I planted them. Now they are all showing new shoots.

Just a thought.

[NYCorchidman]

It is not a crown rot, but it does look bad.
Crown rot will literally affect the very center of the plant killing the growing points, and usually the end of the plant.
If caught on early (people pour hydrogen peroxide or I read about this amazing stuff called dragon blood on the crown) and if lucky, one may save the plant, but usually chance is slim.

I think the best way to save yours will be applying some keiki paste on those spikes and hope for some plantletes off those keikis.

Plant tissues are already affected and eaten up from the inside. Scattering cinnamon power on the surface won't do anything. Trust me.

Keiki paste is the best bet.
I would also try and cut away all those dark area.
Often, mechanical removal of diseased part is the only way. Is it spreading quickly??
Crown rot progress very fast and one can lose a phal over night even.

[Charlaux]

Thanks.Which parts do you think should be cut ? Because the problem is that it happens near the leaves ?

[lepetitmartien]

Mhmm NYCorchidman is right, not crown rot.

I'd suspect either:
- some bacteria (Acidovorax?).

Given where the necrotic zones are, I don't think it's a good idea to cut into it. But you can sterilise the aerial parts of the plants (Bordeaux mixture, hydrogen peroxyde…) and dry the affected area (cinnamon powder).

- other possibility: some fungus

I've had a fungus on a few phals last winter, it was pitch black and shiny in the dead part. I saved 2 on 3 by cutting the leaf/cinnamon and miclobutanyl (wide spectrum systemic translaminar fungicide).

You can try to decifer by smell, stinky=>bacteria, mushroom=>fungi, but you may not smell anything.

[Charlaux]

Originally Posted by lepetitmartien

Mhmm NYCorchidman is right, not crown rot.

I'd suspect either:
- some bacteria (Acidovorax?).

Given where the necrotic zones are, I don't think it's a good idea to cut into it. But you can sterilise the aerial parts of the plants (Bordeaux mixture, hydrogen peroxyde…) and dry the affected area (cinnamon powder).

- other possibility: some fungus

I've had a fungus on a few phals last winter, it was pitch black and shiny in the dead part. I saved 2 on 3 by cutting the leaf/cinnamon and miclobutanyl (wide spectrum systemic translaminar fungicide).

You can try to decifer by smell, stinky=>bacteria, mushroom=>fungi, but you may not smell anything.

Dear lepetitmartien,
Actually when I used the hydrogen peroxide the bubbling did not happen which I found strange.

Another idea is that maybe the area of that leaf might be cut right ? I mean It would be probably safe to cut that area only but I am not sure.

[NYCorchidman]

It looks dry to me. Bubbles will only form if there is a open cut.

If it's spreading, there isn't much you can do about it other than aggressive cutting of affected area and that will mean removing most of the leaves.
Even then, survival is not guaranteed.

If you want to save the plant, the best bet would be trying keiki paste on the old spikes and hope for some keikis before the plant declines any further.
I would act fast because formation of keikis may take some time and then you need to wait until keikis develop some roots before removing them from the spike.