Tobacco Mosaic Virus in paphs

[papheteer]

A local grower that I know smokes is selling some of his paphs and I am interested in a few. My worry though is I have seen him smoke and touch his plants after. I have read somewhere that the virus can be passed to orchids simply by touching them. How susceptible are paphs to this? Any thoughts? Thanks@!!

 

[Justin]

i would be concerned too.

 

[TyroneGenade]

Has there ever been a confirmed case of TMV in Paphs?

 

[lepetitmartien]

http://www.buffalo-niagaragardening.com/2011/11/15/quit-smoking-now-its-bad-for-your-plants/
See comments…

I'm looking into horribly serious books for references… I've found a reference for TMV in Cypripedium.

 

[lepetitmartien]

- TMV and ORSV a very closely related viruses.
- the reference I've written a little about is not good enough, I've read too fast… not the right virus on the right genus.

In my "Maladies à virus des plantes ornementales" by Josette Albouy & Jean-Claude Devergne, ed. INRA (french national institute for agricultural research), 1998, they list specifically TMV (TMV-O, for orchids) as infecting orchids, though they give reference for an article on TMV on Orchis and that's all. There's also TRV (tobacco rattle virus) infecting orchids.

For all tobamoviruses, they are persistant in outside of plant conditions, and transmitted by simple contact or sap.

Agdia has a flashkit for TMV, valid for many but not all tobamoviruses (Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV), Kyuri green mottle mosaic virus, Odontoglossum rinspot virus (ORSV), Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), Ribgrass mosaic virus (RMV), Streptocarpus flower break virus (SFBV), Sunhemp mosaic virus (SHMV), Tobacco mosaic virus including common strain (TMV and TMV-c), Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV).) If needed, I would ask Agdia if the TMV-O is detected specifically by this test.

 

[Ozpaph]

I wouldnt worry to much if the plant looks healthy and its worth buying - can always test it.

 

[Happypaphy7]

Oh, my...soooo many virus everywhere!!!

Everytime I prepare salad, or washing & eating fruits, I get all paranoid.
Will my hands be all contaminated now?

I mean I rarely touch my orchids, but then I do move them around quite a bit for watering. Who knows what virus particles find their way from my hands into water into the roots or leaves...
I hope this does not happen, but definitely possible.

Such headache....

 

[Happypaphy7]

- TMV and ORSV a very closely related viruses.
- the reference I've written a little about is not good enough, I've read too fast… not the right virus on the right genus.

In my "Maladies à virus des plantes ornementales" by Josette Albouy & Jean-Claude Devergne, ed. INRA (french national institute for agricultural research), 1998, they list specifically TMV (TMV-O, for orchids) as infecting orchids, though they give reference for an article on TMV on Orchis and that's all. There's also TRV (tobacco rattle virus) infecting orchids.

For all tobamoviruses, they are persistant in outside of plant conditions, and transmitted by simple contact or sap.

Agdia has a flashkit for TMV, valid for many but not all tobamoviruses (Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV), Kyuri green mottle mosaic virus, Odontoglossum rinspot virus (ORSV), Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), Ribgrass mosaic virus (RMV), Streptocarpus flower break virus (SFBV), Sunhemp mosaic virus (SHMV), Tobacco mosaic virus including common strain (TMV and TMV-c), Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV).) If needed, I would ask Agdia if the TMV-O is detected specifically by this test.

Do you know how long TMV related viruses can stay viable outside the host organisms??

 

[Linus_Cello]

Do you know how long TMV related viruses can stay viable outside the host organisms??

Supposedly, one's plants can get TMV infected from aerosolized tobacco (i.e., smoking)

 

[Happypaphy7]

Yes, but I want to see any proof that a smoker's hand touching a healthy plant can transmit the virus.
I have also read it somewhere, but it seems like one of those stories that gets spread around.

Maybe it is ture, mayb not, but I want to know.

 

[Linus_Cello]

It's not the smoker's hand, but "second had smoke" that supposedly spreads TMV.

 

[Erythrone]

Supposedly, one's plants can get TMV infected from aerosolized tobacco (i.e., smoking)

I wonder how a "burnt" virus on smoke can be harmfull to plant.

 

[Chicago Chad]

I wonder how a "burnt" virus on smoke can be harmfull to plant.

Exactly. Naoki do you have any technical info on this?

 

[daniella3d]

sounds highly unlikely. Maybe there are lots of myths around about this? not sure if it can be true.

I wonder how a "burnt" virus on smoke can be harmfull to plant.

 

[Erythrone]

sounds highly unlikely. Maybe there are lots of myths around about this? not sure if it can be true.

I am with you... I tried many times to find scientific proofs .... For me it is a "légende urbaine" (I did not know how to translate it in English... I just discovered I should write... urban legend! :rollhappy: )

 

[daniella3d]

Oh my....very long it seams:

"Tobacco mosaic virus is the most persistent plant virus known. It has been known to survive up to 50 years in dried plant parts. "

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/vegetables/tomato-tmv-disease/

"The most common sources of virus inoculum for tobacco mosaic virus are the debris of infected plants that remains in the soil and certain infected tobacco products that contaminate workers hands. Cigars, cigarettes, and pipe tobaccos can be infected with tobacco mosaic virus. Handling these smoking materials contaminates the hands, and subsequent handling of plants results in a transmission of the virus. Therefore, do not smoke while handling or transplanting plants."

and, this is scary:

"Dipping tools in household bleach is not effective for virus decontamination."

conflicting information:

"To reduce infection of plants with TMV all tools should be washed with soap or a 10% solution of household bleach to inactivate the virus."

http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/lessons/viruses/Pages/TobaccoMosaic.aspx

Do you know how long TMV related viruses can stay viable outside the host organisms??

 

[Chicago Chad]

Viruses differ from fungi and bacteria in that they do not produce spores or other structures capable of penetrating plant parts. Since viruses have no active methods of entering plant cells, they must rely upon mechanically caused wounds, vegetative propagation of plants, grafting, seed, pollen, and being carried on the mouth parts of chewing insects. Tobacco mosaic virus is most commonly introduced into plants through small wounds caused by handling and by insects chewing on plant parts.

(from the article)
If this is correct, smoking alone is not a problem for transferring the virus.

 

[likespaphs]

i was always told that tmv can be transferred by touching a cigarette (or other source of the virus) that one can transmit it
as such, i wasn't allowed to pot up anything in that family without gloves
but i have no facts to support this

 

[lepetitmartien]

Do you know how long TMV related viruses can stay viable outside the host organisms??

No.

We need more money, and more people studying this… And it's clearly not a top priority for mainstream phytopathology research (totally focused on a few agricultural crops).

AFAIK, there's only a few labs working on orchids diseases in Holland, France, Taiwan, Madagascar… And they all have an interest into genus that have an economic interest (Vanilla, phals, dens, oncidium hybrids). Paphs are not top of list. oke:

 

[lepetitmartien]

For the virus itself, all depends on the type and its sensibility to aggression (dryness, heat…) It's specific to the family of the virus for general properties and the peculiar virus studied.

I won't bet without literature under hand about the resistance of a proteic capsid. It tooks years to have some certitudes on HIV resistance outside a body…