Is this rot or lack of sunlight? Should I remove the leaf?

[garnetscherzo]

I found this spot on my orchid leaf this morning. I'm not sure if it needs to be cut off as it doesn't feel wet, and it doesn't smell bad, so it doesn't seem like it's a bacterial infection. The roots seem very healthy and the plant is growing a new leaf otherwise. I had recently repositioned this orchid so that this leaf might not be getting enough sunlight, so I was thinking potentially it's from lack of sun that's caused the yellowing. Any thoughts?

[Aeronaut]

It lookslike sunburn to me
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[zainal abidin]

I agree with Aeronaut looks like secondary infection.

[raybark]

How rapidly did that spot appear?

In my experience, sunburn presents such a patch very quickly, then turns into a "parchment-like" area over a few days, with no other impact on the leaf.

To me, that looks like an infection that is spreading into the leaf, and possibly the whole plant if you don't take some immediate action.

I'd remove the leaf, cutting about 1/4" closer to the plant than any trace of yellowing, and dust the wound with cinnamon powder.

[Azizan]

I can't really decide if it is sunburn or infection. But I agree with Ray, if the yellowing progresses it is definitely infection. Avoid water accumulating at the crown and improve air circulation.

Is it Phalaenopsis? If a Phalaenopsis is lacking of light, the leaves will be dark green. Some Phalaenopsis (not all), the leaves will be light green when it gets higher light.

[garnetscherzo]

Update - I removed the leaf last night and sealed with Neosporin and cinnamon powder, but I checked again tonight and it seems to be yellowing again from the site where I cut it I'm going to try to cut it again very close to the heart of the plant, but there's not much more to cut. Anything I can do to save my plant?

To answer your questions, it is a Phalaenopsis and it is in the US northeast. I would say that it's not getting as much light as it needs in my apartment. Will work on improving airflow!

[raybark]

You might consider treating it with a copper-based, systemic product like Phyton 27, or if you want to go the organic route, my recommendation is Inocucor Garden Solution, with is a formulation of beneficial bacteria and fungi that predate the pathogenic ones (and provides other benefits to growth).

It's going to lose that leaf no matter what, so your strategy now is to prevent it from spreading to the rest of the plant.

[Azizan]

How is the other leaves looking right now? If the one that you cut turns brown and dries out, you may have high chance of recovering it, if the other leaves do not show similar symptoms.