FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I can now confirm that I have a strike on my Spotty tissue...

Nicely done! Hopefully that virus-infected tissue won't contaminate your TC utensils and make all of your cultures "spotty" (just kidding -- though I'm still not convinced that it's not a virus).

Oh, darn it! (Crucifix-fingers on outstretched hands) Stay away! I hope that evil virus-infected plant DIES from contamination in your culture vessel. The idea of purposely propagating virus-infected tissue gives me the creeps-- I hope it's not a virus, but Jason, it sure seems like you're playing with fire ...

Now, now we all know vampires are not real.

All kidding aside, I know several growers that keep this VFT along with the rest of their plants with no ill side affects. It's as harmless as that ugly poka dota t-shirt in my closet.

I will be interested to see if the plantlets appear spotted while in culture. I'll post some pics when they grow some leaves.

P.S... I might need to put some plants on reserve to replenish my VFTs after they get wiped out by the spotted plague.

jkochuni wrote:I know several growers that keep this VFT along with the rest of their plants with no ill side affects.

I'm just very wary of plant viruses, having dealt with them twice in the past. And just thinking of a tissue culturer with all the cutting instruments, despite the sterilization, just makes me all the more fearful. I certainly wouldn't want a "Spotty" Venus Flytrap myself unless an experiment was done to purposely try to infect other Flytraps with the virus it is suspected of hosting and then see if they develop the same or similar characteristics over time.

By the way, the Bohemian Garnet from you has survived the accidental dicamba (herbicide) exposure and is now--finally--growing well. It's a beautiful little Flytrap. Thanks.

I thought one reason to do TC is to try getting a virus free tissue off an infected, rare plant. I guess the general method is to keep cutting back the new tissue into new culture until you get tissue that doesn't show the problem, and then snip it one more time from the direction of the virus just to be safe.

Rocko Bonaparte wrote:I thought one reason to do TC is to try getting a virus free tissue off an infected, rare plant. I guess the general method is to keep cutting back the new tissue into new culture until you get tissue that doesn't show the problem, and then snip it one more time from the direction of the virus just to be safe.

In orchid tissue culture at least, you're right. Orchid tissue culture often uses the meristem, the newest growth of plants, which can sometimes grow more rapidly than a virus from the rest of the plant can infect the new tissue. So it's hoped that harvesting a little tissue from the meristem will produce virus-free plants in tissue culture.

In the case of "Spotty" the Venus Flytrap however, it is the characteristics that the (suspected) virus causes that are valued, the splotchiness in the color inside the traps, for example, so presumably one wouldn't want to get rid of the virus.

I'm personally very wary of plant viruses and wouldn't want to get a "Spotty" plant unless it were proved to be virus free with an experiment or virus testing.

I believe that its a virus infected plant, but there cant be anything wrong with it because there are too many people owning one today. It may need sending to a lab, I have spoken to somebody else that had a virus. She sent it to a lab, they told her the name of the virus and how to remove it. If you have a spare one, it would be a really good idea to get it tested. To put everybody's mind to ease!

I agree with Hayden that if the virus were to be dangerous to other VFTs we would know by now.

Sweet!

I'd like to put down my name for one of the clones please. I'll give you 5,000 dollars of Matt's money.

Im sure Matt would love a spotty

Hayden wrote:Im sure Matt would love a spotty

I'm desperately hoping Matt would not! We grow and sell too many plants at FlytrapStore.com to play footsie with a plant virus.

Hayden wrote:Im sure Matt would love a spotty

Sorry, but that's one plant that I'll never look to add to my collection unless someone gets it tested to make sure that it's virus free.

Like it or not the first of the four horsemen has arrived here in the US with it's sight set on destroying CP collections. The first plantlets sprouted over the past week...



I will send the plant to get tested after I deflask them. I have a friend that works at the U of M that said he would test it.

Reluctant congratulations on your success.

jkochuni wrote:I will send the plant to get tested after I deflask them. I have a friend that works at the U of M that said he would test it.

That would be great, Jason. I expect that your friend will confirm that "Spotty" is indeed virus infected. If not, I would probably still be suspicious and not want one near my plants.