viral infection in Sarracenia?
Apr 20, 2020 20:23:18 GMT -5
almightydolla, zugul, and 3 more like this
Post by calen on Apr 20, 2020 20:23:18 GMT -5
I would like to resurrect this thread as a public service announcement (no relation to current global events, but they are a fitting backdrop). In the last couple weeks I have had two individuals contact me for help and showed photos of what appears to be virus in their Sarracenia. Difficult or impossible to confirm without tests, but also an extremely dangerous situation for a plant collection.
My experience with suspected virus went as follows:
I received an Adrian Slack from UC Davis Arboretum in June 2013. It appeared normal when i got it, but was clearly a division that had been freshly taken that winter or spring. As it recovered, something wasn't right. The leaves came up poorly, and displayed streaking. They also never matured properly. In contradiction of Mr. Brittnacher's post above, this was not due to aphids, as at no time did the plant have an aphid on it (it was summer), much less an infestation that could have damaged the plant to the degree observed. I destroyed the AS that summer, and began sterilizing my trimming equipment between plants with a blowtorch. This is what we did at the orchid nursery I worked at to prevent viral outbreak.
Unfortunately, I had engaged in some trimming and tidying that had already spread the virus to other plants, or perhaps insects had done so. I closely monitored the collection and over the subsequent year I threw out 6-10 plants that were apparently infected. I also noticed a severely deformed, streaked up flava cuprea in a friend's collection that year. He had gotten it from me, and we immediately destroyed it.
I have not had any apparent virus established in the collection since 2014, but consider myself lucky to have caught it early. If I had bought the AS in the fall I might not have noticed the symptoms and then spread the virus extensively during my spring trimming (it spread as it did after I had already trimmed, when I was doing very little trimming!).
Apart from the early visual symptoms, one of the things I noticed in the suspected virus cases was sustained loss of vigor / failure to thrive. The suspected sick plants just didn't grow right while others around them thrived. This would be a key sign to look for to differentiate between something like seasonal pest damage causing funky looking leaves (e.g. Mr. Brittnacher's post above), and viral infection.
I have never heard of a laboratory-confirmed case of virus in Sarracenia, and I am not an expert on plant diseases, but it it my belief that viruses can and are infecting Sarracenias widely while growers remain oblivious. I strongly encourage any grower who does not want to see their collection eventually wiped out by virus to take the following measures immediately:
1. The most important: sterilize all trimming equipment between plants. A strong bleach solution is easy. Blowtorches are fun. Purpose-made horticultural sanitizers like Physan also do the trick.
2. Don't go around casually trimming this and that with your fingers (unless you are dipping them in bleach lol!).
3. Watch all new acquisitions closely and make sure they do not show symptoms.
4. Take steps to eliminate sap-sucking pests like aphids and mealies, as they spread virus.
5. Consider establishing a quarantine zone in the grow area where new arrivals can be scrutinized for a season.
6. Suspected cases must be immediately isolated. Do not use pollen from a suspected virus case on any other plant. If the plant is showing severe symptoms and poor growth, it should probably be destroyed sooner rather than later. Do not re-use the pot unless it has been sterilized.
To finish, my last run-in with suspected virus was actually in 2017, three years after I had stamped it out in my collection. I received an S. flava from an extremely well-known grower and breeder in February of that year. Come May, its pitchers opened severely deformed and covered in blotches and streaks. There were no aphids or other pests present and it was the only plant that showed any such symptoms. I immediately destroyed it, and due to vigilance and the fact that I had rigorously sterilized scissors between plants, there were no additional infections. If a grower as accomplished as the individual from whom I received the flava had virus in their collection, anyone can. And that person sends A LOT of plants all across this country every year...
I hope folks who read this will take the threat of virus seriously and implement simple hygiene measures in their collections. Stay safe out there!
My experience with suspected virus went as follows:
I received an Adrian Slack from UC Davis Arboretum in June 2013. It appeared normal when i got it, but was clearly a division that had been freshly taken that winter or spring. As it recovered, something wasn't right. The leaves came up poorly, and displayed streaking. They also never matured properly. In contradiction of Mr. Brittnacher's post above, this was not due to aphids, as at no time did the plant have an aphid on it (it was summer), much less an infestation that could have damaged the plant to the degree observed. I destroyed the AS that summer, and began sterilizing my trimming equipment between plants with a blowtorch. This is what we did at the orchid nursery I worked at to prevent viral outbreak.
Unfortunately, I had engaged in some trimming and tidying that had already spread the virus to other plants, or perhaps insects had done so. I closely monitored the collection and over the subsequent year I threw out 6-10 plants that were apparently infected. I also noticed a severely deformed, streaked up flava cuprea in a friend's collection that year. He had gotten it from me, and we immediately destroyed it.
I have not had any apparent virus established in the collection since 2014, but consider myself lucky to have caught it early. If I had bought the AS in the fall I might not have noticed the symptoms and then spread the virus extensively during my spring trimming (it spread as it did after I had already trimmed, when I was doing very little trimming!).
Apart from the early visual symptoms, one of the things I noticed in the suspected virus cases was sustained loss of vigor / failure to thrive. The suspected sick plants just didn't grow right while others around them thrived. This would be a key sign to look for to differentiate between something like seasonal pest damage causing funky looking leaves (e.g. Mr. Brittnacher's post above), and viral infection.
I have never heard of a laboratory-confirmed case of virus in Sarracenia, and I am not an expert on plant diseases, but it it my belief that viruses can and are infecting Sarracenias widely while growers remain oblivious. I strongly encourage any grower who does not want to see their collection eventually wiped out by virus to take the following measures immediately:
1. The most important: sterilize all trimming equipment between plants. A strong bleach solution is easy. Blowtorches are fun. Purpose-made horticultural sanitizers like Physan also do the trick.
2. Don't go around casually trimming this and that with your fingers (unless you are dipping them in bleach lol!).
3. Watch all new acquisitions closely and make sure they do not show symptoms.
4. Take steps to eliminate sap-sucking pests like aphids and mealies, as they spread virus.
5. Consider establishing a quarantine zone in the grow area where new arrivals can be scrutinized for a season.
6. Suspected cases must be immediately isolated. Do not use pollen from a suspected virus case on any other plant. If the plant is showing severe symptoms and poor growth, it should probably be destroyed sooner rather than later. Do not re-use the pot unless it has been sterilized.
To finish, my last run-in with suspected virus was actually in 2017, three years after I had stamped it out in my collection. I received an S. flava from an extremely well-known grower and breeder in February of that year. Come May, its pitchers opened severely deformed and covered in blotches and streaks. There were no aphids or other pests present and it was the only plant that showed any such symptoms. I immediately destroyed it, and due to vigilance and the fact that I had rigorously sterilized scissors between plants, there were no additional infections. If a grower as accomplished as the individual from whom I received the flava had virus in their collection, anyone can. And that person sends A LOT of plants all across this country every year...
I hope folks who read this will take the threat of virus seriously and implement simple hygiene measures in their collections. Stay safe out there!