Orchid test positive CymMV

[nicki]

Blah... Nothing like bad news to spoil things...

Has anyone had an orchid which tested positive for a virus before? What did you do to handle it?

A dend I recently bought at a box store had some odd looking flowers. I've read that a virus can cause this. So to be safe I decided to send out a couple samples to be tested. I also contacted the company of the orchid and was told the deformation could be due to a chemical they use to induce multiple spikes. Well today the results came back positive for Cymbidium Mosaic Virus. I know that no test is 100% but I think I should play it safe. I don't want to have it tested again.
Should I contact the company I purchased the orchid from and let them know? They grow orchids on a mass scale and I'm sure there is nothing they can do.

The only other orchids this one has been near in my collection and possible touched are other box store orchids. Can I keep them? Do I need to toss them? Do I need to have them all tested?

Also I'll be bringing home some new orchids from yesterdays thread today and would like to know what precautions I should take.
Any advice is always appreciated. In the meantime I'll be do some searching...

[orchidlady]

If a plant is showing signs and then tests positive for virus, I would assume that it is virused. I would dispose of the plant, but what you want to do is up to you. As far as the other plants, they may or may not be infected. In general, testing is the best way to confirm virus. Any plants that were in contact with the virused plant should probably tested and/or grown separately from other plants. Virus is spread by direct contact-sap to sap or through contaminated tools, but is not spread by air. I would definitely keep any new plants away from possibly infected plants. It's a good idea to quarantine new plants in general before growing with the rest of your plants.

I would also tell the company. There are things that they can do, but may or may not choose to.

Susan

[John D.]

Virus testing is a good thing but the results as you see can be scary. Some plants show the effects of a virus as a flower deformation or break in color, some show no symtoms but may not be as vigorous as they could be, some decline and die, some show no effects at all.
If you keep infected plants seperate, use good sanitation (don't resuse organic potting medium, sterilize pots and inorganic medium before reuse etc. ) the chance of spread is minimal. There is a lot of discussion about insects(chewing and sucking) spreading virus so part of good sanitation is keeping these under control and preventing infestation.
A casual touch of leaves is unlikely to spread the virus, pots next to each other with roots intertwined is a much worse situation.

If you are growing for your own enjoyment testing is not necessary unless feel you want to identify the reason for as problem as you did. If you are breeding then IMHO you should make sure that your plants are virus free especially if you are green capping since you can pass on the virus in vitro.

In your case I would contact the producing source as a matter of course. Don't expect an answer or a replacement plant. They may be mericloning an infected plant and all the offspring will be virused or your plant may have been infected later while growing out somewhere else, hard to tell.

Testing your whole collection is really a personal choice, The home test kits do work and are a less expensive alternative as long as you carefully follow the direstions. With any test if the proper protocol is followed a false positive is unlikely, if the test is "wrong" it is more likely a false negative.

[Halloamey]

Testing your whole collection is really a personal choice, The home test kits do work and are a less expensive alternative as long as you carefully follow the direstions. With any test if the proper protocol is followed a false positive is unlikely, if the test is "wrong" it is more likely a false negative.

Thanks for the info John. I am really new to breeding, but would surely want to screen my parent plants. Can you PM me the virus testing kit company details. I would surely want to get some DIY kits, as it is very difficult to get plants tested in India.

[pavel]

I would definitely recommend destroying the infected plant. Why take any chances of contaminating other plants? As mentioned, it would be best to isolate the plants that may have been in contact with the infected one until you can acertain whether they too are infected.

The company you got the plant from is unlikely to do anything about it no matter if the infection occurred there or not. But still it would IMO be the right thing to do.

[nicki]

I definitely plan on getting rid of the infected Sadly it has so many nice blooms and is my only plant with flowers at the moment.
I did send an email to the company.
I'm waiting on a shipping quote for some testing strips so I can do at home. I doubt I spread the virus. But 2 of the plants I have are from the same company.
I will set up a separate area for the new comers.

[smartie2000]

I have had emailed and let the nursery know that a mericlone was virused in the past very kindly for their information.

I feel the same way, I bought a gorgeous phal from a grocery store recently only to find it virused when i took it home. I brought it back after the test, with the receipt.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

That is terrible news. Contact the grower and make sure s/he knows and that you are unhappy and disappointed. I hate to destroy any plant, but you should get it away from your other orchids and make sure never to share any tools between the plants if you keep it.

Cheers,
BD

[clintdawley]

I feel your pain. Just went through the same thing.

[nicki]

I moved the plant to a different room. I will toss it when the blooms die. Then I won't feel so bad. This week I'm going to order the home test strips and test the other 2 plants from that company.
Sorry to hear that Clint.
Thanks for the help everyone.