Why is it so?

[Stone]

So, genetic variability can't contribute to differential survival? QUOTE]

Now your putting words in my mouth. Of course it can. But not in this instance. Look at it this way. Genetics may have played a 0.00001% role with 9.9999% ''other''

 

[TyroneGenade]

Including genetics. It's just not possible that tiny variations in genetics could have such an affect given the adaptability we know about.

Same flask? Line-bred? Ever decreasing gene pool thanks to inbreeding? Good variants add up in some individuals by deleterious variants adding up in others... Genetics is plausible, though untestable at this point.

 

[Bjorn]

Wow Mike, are you running a nursery? Envy you the ability to have those things outdoors.
Regarding your problem, if it happened at my site, I would blame the soil/compost for being loaded with cations. A sudden lowering in pH (for some reason) might release those and give a lethal potion to the roots. Just an idea that might be entirely bonkers, but.....
one of the reasons to stay on the low side of fertiliser poke:not to mention the K-Word, which I think is of secondary importance here btw. low level is the key Word):rollhappy:

 

[Stone]

Regarding your problem, if it happened at my site, I would blame the soil/compost for being loaded with cations. A sudden lowering in pH (for some reason) might release those and give a lethal potion to the roots. Just an idea that might be entirely bonkers, but.....
one of the reasons to stay on the low side of fertiliser poke:not to mention the K-Word, which I think is of secondary importance here btw. low level is the key Word):rollhappy

:

I guess all of this is possible but like I said they where treated the same. The p/mix is mainly mineral so I can't see cation overload being the issue.
I don't think I feed my Paphs too heavily. They get about 50ppm N and total EC is about 0.4 last time I checked. They also get heavily flushed in between. Really, it comes down to 2 possibilities thinking about it. Some kind of damage caused by a pest ( eg maybe a pill bug got in there and chewed all the root tips leading to infection??) or perhaps one dried out or something in which case they were not treated the same. It's a mystery to me!
But what really shits me is that they were both finally showing signs of the kind of vigour I was after. They are only 3 years old. Of course now one has completely stalled while the other continues to get better. It takes up to 12 months to get back to health again!

Here are 2 pre K-Lite bellatulums for your enjoyment
http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26588
http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17349

 

[Ozpaph]

nice stoneis.

My next best theory is 'the vapors'!
then fungus,
then bacteria.

 

[Happypaphy7]

Well, it seems so far, the best theory sounds like the genetics.

Two plants from the same batch that have been treated "exactly" the same.

What else can it be? I don't see anything else.

Whether it be pathogens, symbiotic relationship gone sour, certain nutrients (which I also do not support)....these all have to do with how each plant handles the stressors I believe.

Here, you have two plants under the "same" conditions, one have lost good chunk of roots and the other one is loaded with good roots.