Will retest and report as soon as kit arrived from Agdia.Curious to see what your repeat test shows.
I've been testing my orchids and found some healthy looking ones positive. Some that were mature plants and having trouble clearing a fungal infection were positive. Some that are sickly were negative and didn't give me an added excuse to toss them.
Well, unfortunately, Werner and Ozpaph, you are right. I re-tested today. Unexpired test has bold lines showing CymMV.Virus
Viruses are everywhere -
Pete, interesting that you would mention burning with MAPP. After listening to Keith Davis who recommends this at our VOS meeting last year, I bought a MAPP bottle. I used it once. I did not like the way it discolored the clipper and from what I've read dulls the cutting edge pretty quickly. It's sitting in my basement almost brand new.Do you also burn your cutting tools? I use this, in addition to a spray bottle of alcohol to clean tools before I burn and rack them to cool. Mapp burns hotter and faster than propane and bottle are inexpensive online or Home Depot.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bernzomatic-TS8000KC-Premium-Torch-Kit-336638/205683985
Well, it didn't take me long, within about 10 minutes, I decided to trash the plant. In it's own plastic bag in the outside garbage. Sometimes, you just have to cut your losses.Ughh. Breaks the heart. Especially after all that growing.. Good eye Werner and Ozpaph. It’s amazing how a seedling could get a virus, especially since you take all the precautions. I’m in the middle of testing my entire collection too, started with the newest plants. I try for every 3 years.
All kinds of decisions to make. If the plant had some historic significance, that would be the only reason I would think about keeping it. Even then I would probably rehome it to someone who collected virused plants. I personally throw virused plants out. Too much risk to the collection and risk of passing virus on to others.
Interesting perspective. I first tested for virus in a Toshie Aoki 'Pizazz' that had a horrible, very blurred, color pattern. Very different than the plant I saw and ordered. I gave it a couple of bloomings, then tested. Yep, it was virused. Then I had another with weird rings on the flower. Yep virused. I've not had leaf issues show virus before, especially this type of spotting. So it surprised me. Not worth the risk for me to keep the plant. It was not expensive as a seedling. I cannot risk other more valuable plants getting infected. It's already gone.southernebelle - if you are worried (even a little bit) ----- if ----- then I wouldn't worry about it.
Viruses are everywhere - just like bacteria. And we humans are like virus/bacteria populating and decimating - messing up the planet (body).
As a home grower - I don't test for virus - and never have tested. I will just take things as they come - naturally. But very nicely or fortunately, I have never had colour breaks or orchids taking a bad turn (for more than a few decades of home growing now) - which has been great.
I do make back-ups of certain orchids that I want to 'back-up' ----- (division where possible) ---- just to put eggs in different baskets -- regardless ------ regardless of what the situation is.
Thanks, Ozpaph. It's already gone.k I will carefully look at any others and test if needed, but don't think there are any more. And, I will continue my diligence with disinfecting.you should burn the plant and test any others that look 'unwell'. Keeping virused plants is a road to unhappiness. Eventually you will regret the decision to keep them and people wont want your plants because they 'could be infected'.
Yep virused. I've not had leaf issues show virus before, especially this type of spotting. So it surprised me. Not worth the risk for me to keep the plant. It was not expensive as a seedling. I cannot risk other more valuable plants getting infected. It's already gone.
You test plants every three years? Even if you test new plants before bringing them into general population? Do you have new positives? Where do you think the infection comes from if new plants are virus free?Ughh. Breaks the heart. Especially after all that growing.. Good eye Werner and Ozpaph. It’s amazing how a seedling could get a virus, especially since you take all the precautions. I’m in the middle of testing my entire collection too, started with the newest plants. I try for every 3 years.
All kinds of decisions to make. If the plant had some historic significance, that would be the only reason I would think about keeping it. Even then I would probably rehome it to someone who collected virused plants. I personally throw virused plants out. Too much risk to the collection and risk of passing virus on to others.
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