What viruses affect the Bulbophyllum Genus?

[Ross Robinson]

A Bulbophyllum nymphopolitanum of mine appears to have slight varigation on one of the oldest leaves... alongside some random, pin-point necrotic spots, most of which appear beneath the leave surface, or so it seems... I'm worried.

[kiki-do]

Ross R, Welcome to OB!
Can you possibly post pictures of the plant problem you are describing? Also, what are your growing techniques and conditions. Are you sure it's a virus?

[Ross Robinson]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...binson/034.jpg - Upper leaf, after what appears have been a fungal/bacterial attack, which I "treated" with cinnamon. The leaf is now yellowing!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...nson/048-2.jpg - Lower leaf, below which are various, minute necrotic spots...

I may be paranoid. As a young amatuer, I'd like to start out my collection with clean plants... For financial reasons.

Thanks for the assistance!

[Ross Robinson]

I'm growing in spagnum, mounted on Epiweb. Low humidity - I'm working on a primitive vivarium set-up. Maybe 65%

[Mike O'C]

Originally Posted by Ross Robinson

A Bulbophyllum nymphopolitanum of mine appears to have slight varigation on one of the oldest leaves... alongside some random, pin-point necrotic spots, most of which appear beneath the leave surface, or so it seems... I'm worried.

Ross it is always difficult to diagnose from photographs but I do not think that your plant is virused. I think (from the pinpoint necrotic spots) that the leaf is busy dying off because it has been "sucked dry" by sucking insects. I would look at the undersurface of the leaf to see if it has a silvery white appearance (suggestive of red spider and false spider mites) and I would take a strong magnifying glass and look at the under surface of the leaf to see if you can see mites crawling around. Please report back when you have done that. Good luck

[Ross Robinson]

Those are two separate leaves - The one with the pinpoint necrosis is still attached, but as of last night, the yellowing leaf just turned entirely brown... and mushy... I cut it off. It had to of been rotting. I purchased the specimen from J & L Orchids... mounted on treefern, of which was rotting. I remounted recently. The lower leaf is the oldest, aswell... the one with the necrosis... Now I have 10 psuedobulbs, three of which have leaves... As for the mites, I couldn't see a thing. It seems smooth.

[Mike O'C]

Originally Posted by Ross Robinson

Those are two separate leaves - The one with the pinpoint necrosis is still attached, but as of last night, the yellowing leaf just turned entirely brown... and mushy... I cut it off. It had to of been rotting. I purchased the specimen from J & L Orchids... mounted on treefern, of which was rotting. I remounted recently. The lower leaf is the oldest, aswell... the one with the necrosis... Now I have 10 psuedobulbs, three of which have leaves... As for the mites, I couldn't see a thing. It seems smooth.

Ross, having excluded mites sucking the sap out of the cells of your leaf and leaving pinpoint necrotic spots, I have no further suggestion except to say that I do not think that it is a virus. If the leaf turned brown and mushy it may be a bacterial rot so it may be good idea to dip your plant into something like Physan which I think is a quatnerary ammonium compound but would not bet on that. Also check your root system. Good luck

[Gin]

Ross in the first picture I see something white near the base , I would check it for scale at the base of the P bulbs . then run a damp tissue over the under side of the leaves if it comes back with orangie smears then it is mites they are very hard to see with the naked eye . Gin

[Ross Robinson]

Thanks to everyone for all of the help... I hope I haven't been a pest. I just want to save this plant... I'm ordering some Physan ASAP...

[kiki-do]

Ross R, If you don't have Physan handy, you can use Listerine (regular, not minty) for a cleanser. I do that all the time.