Virus in Paphs & Phrags

[orchid527]

It is true that viruses are everywhere. My only concern is with the ones that are known to harm orchids and for which there are commercially available tests. I am not concerned about bacterial and fungal infections. They are obvoius and manageable.

One major problem I have with these more troublesome viruses is that they make it difficult for someone to become a better grower. If one changes growing conditions and the plants look worse, is it because of what they did or is it because the plant has CymMV? When a new grower buys a plant from a big box store and it dies, was it his/her cultural technique or was it a virus? If you don't test, you can't know.

I have been growing orchids for more than 30 years and for most of those years with good success, but about 10 years ago I infected my plants with purchases from a west coast grower. Within 3 years, many of my most valuable plants were dead. It took me a lot of time and money to clean up the problem and I don't want to go there again.

I intend no offence and I appreciate that everyone is entitled to an opinion, but to have some weight, there must be some credible relevant experience. That someone has grown orchids for a long time is not enough. I have a friend who is a commercial grower and virus has run rampant through his plants in the last 10 years. He won't admit to it, but I buy plants from him and I test them. I know and I see the consequences on his stud bench.

Mike

 

[Shiva]

I have also grown orchids for a long time but one thing I can say is that when the plant is adult and has grown well and showed no sign of infection of any kind for many years, it will keep on growing well and flower normally. It may still be virused but not visibly infected. Every living creature is susceptible to be infected by a virus but a majority will show no visible sign.
Those that do show signs are weak to begin with. The popularity of orchids has made it so that producers grow them in the best possible conditions so that the largest possible number of seedlings can make it to the sale tables. Once in our collection, though, conditions are often less than ideal and that's when the weak plants tend to go stressed. Virus may be responsible but in reality, it's likely that the plant will die anyway.
And I don't think we can blame the producers. Every time we buy a plant, no matter how expansive it is, we take a chance. And if it dies, we're left to wonder if it's our fault or not.
For those, like me, who have collections of hundreds of plants, it is a pipe dream to think they can all be virus free.

 

[orchid527]

Shiva

If a person is infected with the rabies virus and does not receive treatment, the chances are greater than 99% that he will die. Was he weak to begin with?

My experience is that harmful viruses introduced into a population of healthy plants results in extensive damage. I do not believe these were weak plants as many were awarded specimen size plants. Stem propagations of these plants, made before the mother was infected, are still virus free and continue to be healthy plants. I worked for nearly 40 years as a research scientist, and I'll admit I'm a little slow at times, but in this case the data are clear.

Consider for a moment that if these viruses were actually harmless, they they would never have caused any problems and would not have attracted any attention to themselves. I am sure that is the case for many viruses, but not for CymMV or ORSV.

We seem to look at this problem from different perspectives, but I am forced by habit to be data driven.

Mike

 

[Shiva]

Shiva
If a person is infected with the rabies virus and does not receive treatment, the chances are greater than 99% that he will die. Was he weak to begin with?

Well Mike! Make sure your rabid orchids don't bite the others. As for rabies in humans, there is an antidote, and still the person infected will continue to carry the antigen for the virus afterward. Unfortunately, there is no treatment for virus in orchids, so far.

I can only wish you luck fighting it out with nature.

Michel