Testing for virus

Exciting times are upon me.

I am working with a supplier to try and develop a testing process, suitable for us all to use at home that will identify the two major thorns in our collective Pleione growing backsides - Pleione Virus-Y (PVY) and Pleione flower break virus (PlFBV).

I am aware that there are tests available for lots of other virus which can affect orchids, including Pleione, but the one that has been rampaging through collections and feeding the incinerators and composting bins for several years has yet to be fully addressed - PlFBV.

Photos below of plants from a few years ago showing PlFBV

One of the issues with both PVY and PlFBV is that it can, and does lie in an asymptomatic state, potentially stealthily infecting other plants which will show the symptoms at a later date and we then throw out the symptomatic plant, not the root cause (no pun intended) which is the undetected silent assassin in our collections. Plants have the potential to go undetected yet remain infectious for many seasons. It is entirely another discussion as to whether some hybrids are more susceptible to developing the recognised signs of virus than others as I have not yet heard any reports of it affecting Autumn flowering plants and other 'families' of hybrids appear to be clean whilst some families (Piton, Shantung and Krakatoa in my experience) appear to be really quick to show signs or become infected.

If the research and associated testing proves the concept we would be able to test plants in our greenhouses using samples from leaves, not flowers. Being able to test from leaves would allow us to test seedlings not yet FS and also would reduce the amount of quarantine time plants are subjected to - I keep plants separate for a year, or until I have seen it flower before allowing the plant into the general population. I understand that the quarantine period would be reduced to six weeks.

As with anything research is not cheap and there will be a cost associated with the testing kits but please remember that there is a difference between price and cost - The price of the test kit versus the cost to your collection.

If all goes to plan and we are successful it would be my plan that Natland Pleione would be able to offer FS plants from a 'Tested' collection in future.

Keep watching this space.

happy growing

Stu