Virus. My heart just sank. What do I do???

[astrid]

So, I noticed yellow spots on the leaf of my Dendrobium antennatum orchid just yesterday. I thought it was odd, and today when I looked at the leaf again, I am seeing telltale rings in the plant's leaves.
I am pretty sure this is a ringspot virus. The rings are difficult to see right now, but they are there. I enhanced my photos so that the contrast is stronger so you can see them, too.

I have included a picture, but basically I am freaking out right now because I am scared that I now have no idea which other orchids are infected in my collection. Did the virus originate in the antennatum? Did it catch it from another plant? How easily will it spread? How likely is it that the other orchids I have will have caught this?



I haven't used cutting tools on this orchid, and I usually use totally different water for each plant, so hopefully the virus hasn't spread too badly but oh my god. What do I do?

I know that you can go get leaves tested, but to test all 50 of my plants seems cost-prohibitive to me as I am just a college student.

So shit. What do I do?

(p.s. I am seeking helpful advice. Lecturing me is unhelpful. Please do not give any "told you so" or "well obviously you should never XYZ" statements because I am already feeling very upset and scared for my plants.)

[Leafmite]

I would contact the vendor, nicely explain your situation, and if you play your cards right, as if you are letting the vendor know just in case he/she might have other infected plants (which is a nice gesture, anyway), they might generously offer you a replacement. Some vendors buy orchids from other vendors and they will want to know if they aren't getting healthy plants.
As for testing, as you are a University student, you might want to see if your University has an agricultural department. Some of them will test plants (usually corn, tomatoes, etc. in this area) so that they might study the diseases. It helps if you know someone.

One way, surprisingly, that plants can become infected is through virus-infected tobacco products. Someone who uses tobacco can touch the plants at a vendor's greenhouse, in the store, anywhere, and if they damage the leaf while touching it, they can provide an entry point for virus.

Sorry that you need to stress about this. Surprisingly, plant virus isn't that easy to spread. Plants have initial defenses against the virus that do often work. There also needs to be an entry point (broken 'skin'). However, if the leaves were touching leaves of other plants, you might want to keep those plants separate for a while for observation.

---------- Post added at 04:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:03 PM ----------

Just a few other notes...if the leaf is naturally dying, it might not be a virus
Sometimes, viruses, unlike fungus and bacterial infections, take time to express symptoms.
Often perfect care can prevent the expression and stress can reveal it.
Some viruses only infect a part of the orchid and then slowly spread and can be stopped by removing the infected part. I don't know what you have, though.

[wintergirl]

Here was an earlier thread about mystery rings on den leaves. You might find it interesting. I know many den leaves are very touchy and easy to lose leaves on some plants. The rings are concerning but it doesn't look like your flowers have any abnormalities from what I can see in the pictures.

Brown Spot with Yellow Leaf on Dendrobium

[astrid]

Originally Posted by wintergirl

Here was an earlier thread about mystery rings on den leaves. You might find it interesting. I know many den leaves are very touchy and easy to lose leaves on some plants. The rings are concerning but it doesn't look like your flowers have any abnormalities from what I can see in the pictures.

Brown Spot with Yellow Leaf on Dendrobium

I appreciate the link you gave me, however the "mystery ring" on dendrobiums isn't quite like this. I have basically the same thing on several dens and it doesn't worry me. I compare it to those little black spots that lots of oncidium hybrids get. I just shrug at them "ehhh no big deal."

But this is different. The target-shaped nature of these blotches freaks me out so much.

This is also the first time I've seen this pop up on the plant- perhaps the flowers just aren't showing symptoms for this bloom cycle.
Thanks for your input!

---------- Post added at 01:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:36 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Leafmite

I would contact the vendor, nicely explain your situation, and if you play your cards right, as if you are letting the vendor know just in case he/she might have other infected plants (which is a nice gesture, anyway), they might generously offer you a replacement. Some vendors buy orchids from other vendors and they will want to know if they aren't getting healthy plants.
As for testing, as you are a University student, you might want to see if your University has an agricultural department. Some of them will test plants (usually corn, tomatoes, etc. in this area) so that they might study the diseases. It helps if you know someone.

One way, surprisingly, that plants can become infected is through virus-infected tobacco products. Someone who uses tobacco can touch the plants at a vendor's greenhouse, in the store, anywhere, and if they damage the leaf while touching it, they can provide an entry point for virus.

Sorry that you need to stress about this. Surprisingly, plant virus isn't that easy to spread. Plants have initial defenses against the virus that do often work. There also needs to be an entry point (broken 'skin'). However, if the leaves were touching leaves of other plants, you might want to keep those plants separate for a while for observation.

---------- Post added at 04:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:03 PM ----------

Just a few other notes...if the leaf is naturally dying, it might not be a virus
Sometimes, viruses, unlike fungus and bacterial infections, take time to express symptoms.
Often perfect care can prevent the expression and stress can reveal it.
Some viruses only infect a part of the orchid and then slowly spread and can be stopped by removing the infected part. I don't know what you have, though.

I don't think it is a leaf naturally dying. It's at a high up and random spot on the plant, and I can clearly see the little target-shaped lines on the leaf. The plant is naturally shedding a few leaves on old growths at the bottom, but it looks quite different from this suspect leaf.

I've contacted the vendor and sent them pictures of the plant, so hopefully they can do something about it.

It's interesting information about tobacco smoke and touching plants. I had no idea about that! I didn't know that, but luckily I don't smoke anyway so my plants are at low risk once they're in my care.
So so interesting, though!

Thanks for your help.

[Ray]

Unless you JUST got that plant, and it was like that upon arrival, I don't know what you can reasonably expect from the vendor. Viruses can be transmitted by splashing water, you during handling, cutting tools, and insects - probably other means, as well. If you've had it more than a few days, there is no way to know that it may not have come from another plant in your collection.

Some believe that plants carry everything to which they have ever been exposed (as is the case with us, by the way), and may very well live on just fine, UNTIL some external stress is applied that "tips the balance", such as a period of poor culture. (I'm not saying yours is poor - just that it's a common stress...)

Personally, I'd dispose of that plant, disinfect the growing area, and keep a close eye on the rest of your collection.

[astrid]

Originally Posted by Ray

Unless you JUST got that plant, and it was like that upon arrival, I don't know what you can reasonably expect from the vendor. Viruses can be transmitted by splashing water, you during handling, cutting tools, and insects - probably other means, as well. If you've had it more than a few days, there is no way to know that it may not have come from another plant in your collection.

Some believe that plants carry everything to which they have ever been exposed (as is the case with us, by the way), and may very well live on just fine, UNTIL some external stress is applied that "tips the balance", such as a period of poor culture. (I'm not saying yours is poor - just that it's a common stress...)

Personally, I'd dispose of that plant, disinfect the growing area, and keep a close eye on the rest of your collection.

Thanks Ray-

I'm not expecting anything from the vendor. I simply wrote them to inform them that they might have an issue and wished them a pleasant day.
I have had to inform one vendor that a plant arrived to me with a soggy orange mush leaf probably from bacteria, and they were quick to offer me a replacement or refund, and I felt that was reasonable. They also thanked me for writing them immediately after getting the package!

In this situation, who knows where the virus came from. It would be like getting a cold sore and blaming your current boyfriend for it when most people have some form of HSV and can get it in childhood or at any age.

We do indeed carry all of those viruses. Chickenpox lying dormant and returning as shingles comes to my mind.

I am slowly accepting that I have to toss this plant, but it is my favorite foliage and it just hurts to part with it!

What do you suggest for disinfection? Anything beyond wiping things down with alcohol or spraying with peroxide?
Thank you.

[silken]

I wouldn't assume it is virused just yet. I have recently been testing a number of my orchids (mostly Catt's) with the Agdia test strips that test for Cymbidium Moasaic Virus and Odontoglossum Ringspot Virus. A lot were negative but a number were positive for one, or the other or both viruses. Needless to say they are all in the garbage (boo hoo).. Not one of them had markings like that. I think a lot of these things can be fungal and bacterial too. I have had a problem with ugly blotching and suspicious marks on some of my Catts, and yet many others are clean and spotless. Of course the blotchy ones were the first ones I tested. I can't remember if a single one of them was positive for virus. It was the clean ones that usually grew well (some languished) but refused to bloom. Or they bloomed with the very obvious colour break in the blooms. Those few were all positive. I was able to buy 5 strips only from the lab in Canada that represents Agdia. Still not cheap and since then I have ordered larger batches of test strips. But you could contact Agdia and see if they sell smaller amounts of strips. I had to pay import fees too and you wouldn't have to do that. With import fees included a batch of 25 came to $8.00 per test here in Canada. Not that steep if it's an orchid you don't want to part with. Maybe someone would split a pack with you. I have done that several times with friends.

[astrid]

Originally Posted by silken

I wouldn't assume it is virused just yet. I have recently been testing a number of my orchids (mostly Catt's) with the Agdia test strips that test for Cymbidium Moasaic Virus and Odontoglossum Ringspot Virus. A lot were negative but a number were positive for one, or the other or both viruses. Needless to say they are all in the garbage (boo hoo).. Not one of them had markings like that. I think a lot of these things can be fungal and bacterial too. I have had a problem with ugly blotching and suspicious marks on some of my Catts, and yet many others are clean and spotless. Of course the blotchy ones were the first ones I tested. I can't remember if a single one of them was positive for virus. It was the clean ones that usually grew well (some languished) but refused to bloom. Or they bloomed with the very obvious colour break in the blooms. Those few were all positive. I was able to buy 5 strips only from the lab in Canada that represents Agdia. Still not cheap and since then I have ordered larger batches of test strips. But you could contact Agdia and see if they sell smaller amounts of strips. I had to pay import fees too and you wouldn't have to do that. With import fees included a batch of 25 came to $8.00 per test here in Canada. Not that steep if it's an orchid you don't want to part with. Maybe someone would split a pack with you. I have done that several times with friends.

I'm considering it, but I don't have any plant nerd friends around. It's not really financially feasible for me to buy $8/orchid tests all at once when I acquired these (for the most part) slowly on my shoestring budget. I think I will bring the orchid to the OS meeting tomorrow and ask them about it.

It isn't just blotchy on the leaf, though. There are distinct concentric circles around the blotching, and I am adding a better photo to the original post, so maybe people can see better.

Anyway, thanks for your stories about testing your orchids, and for your advice!

[silken]

Originally Posted by astrid

I'm considering it, but I don't have any plant nerd friends around. It's not really financially feasible for me to buy $8/orchid tests all at once when I acquired these (for the most part) slowly on my shoestring budget. I think I will bring the orchid to the OS meeting tomorrow and ask them about it.

It isn't just blotchy on the leaf, though. There are distinct concentric circles around the blotching, and I am adding a better photo to the original post, so maybe people can see better.

Anyway, thanks for your stories about testing your orchids, and for your advice!

Considering I had the import fees and a terrible exchange rate, my guess is you would pay about $5.00 to $6.00 U.S. per test. Mine were good for a year if kept them in the fridge. But it depends how much you spent to get the plant and invested in potting media, etc. as to whether another few bucks are warranted. Also how easy it is to replace.

[Leafmite]

Here is a great article I found. Hope it is of interest.

http://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstream/19...117N_13659.pdf