Virus test kit interest
 

Hi all, i read one time a while ago that buying the virus test kits in bulk with a few other interested people saves a lot of money and i did the math.. for just 5 kits the price is $37.50 + $9 in shipping which is $46.50. Buying 25 is $120 + $9 in shipping which comes out to about $27 for 5... Saves almost double the money.

Soooooooo... i am wondering if anybody would like to pitch in and I will buy the 25 kits and send them out to you. I am in for 10 of them for $54 if anybody else wants some you can get 5 or 10 or the other 15? Idk what the interest will look like but if theres a lot i'll be with the first people interested and others can buy more if there is more interest.

The kits that i am looking at are from Agdia.com and are immunostrips for both cymbidium mosaic virus and odontoglossum ringspot virus. Product ImmunoStrip®
ISK 13301/0025. Hope i can get some people interested!

Ben

Ben,
In your local neighborhood area there are labs that test for virus on plants and its way cheaper and efficient.
UCLA has a botanical department that also do virus testing.
Go online and find out more about it.
the self testing kit are for those who are in remote areas where they have no access to labs and Universities....
the labs need samples of flower petals or leaf cuttings the fees averages to $5 per specimen and mailing stamp or maybe cheaper(the kit costs more)
the Universities will be very glad to do it for you for a small pittance or maybe for free.

Bud,

You might be right for those testing only a few plants but for those of us using 100 per season at least, the local labs, of which there are many in the Bay Area, might get a bit testy with us. On the other hand, the strips store nicely when refrigerated and are there 'on demand' so to speak when needed.

Our club orders in lots of 250 for sale to the club members at $5 per strip (2-test) and they do not have to drive anywhere to use them except to come to the monthly meetings, which they do anyway. :twocents:

CL

right....I only have one or two plants per year that get tested(and I do not need the results immediately)....whereas for you guys who have several plants to be tested a week....then the instant kit would work.
the labs wont get mad at you...they do it by mail anyways...they can also do it by bulk : like a thousand plants per day

I hope people will take you up on your offer, Bud, as virus has become an epidemic in the orchid world.

its not an offer....I just think I would enthrust the testing of my specimens to professionals.
Testing kits as a 'do it yourself' at home compared to the accuracy of a laboratory done by scientists procedure....I feel I wont trust myself doing the testing ....I once panicked before and bought ten kits from that company...I only used one and I still have 9 kits....but since NYU is only 10 blocks from me....I just walk and bring my samples to the botany lab

Sorry Bud, I meant to say Shiffdaddy. I just urge people to test anyway they find appropriate and easy for them to protect their collections. :bowing

As far as the Agdia strips go, I use at least 100 a year and the results are right on. Once or twice I may get a vague read, but on the retest, it will be clear. Be sure you store them properly as that can cause big problems. Also, if you scrape too much fluid from the leaf, you will get a false read. So yes, they can be a bit tricky to use at first, but invaluable in my opinion.

CL

I just sent out some samples to Critter Creek Labs.
Crittler Creek Labs

I've sent samples to Critter Creek and I bought 25 Agdia strips. They're now expired and I think I used 8 of them. I have yet to get into breeding so I think for now I will just send the samples to Critter Creek. If I ever get into breeding and want to make sure my parent plants are healthy I will do Agdia again.