Orchid virus diseases in Taiwan and their control strategies

Characteristics of virus diseases

Causing systemic infection Reduce growth vigor and quality

Not curable once infected

Viruses known to infect orchids in the literature

In total, more than 30 viruses recorded in literature.

17 with conclusive taxonomic status.

Rod-shaped
Tobamovirus
Odontoglossum ringspot virus (ORSV)
Tobacco mosaic virus-orchid strain (TMV-orchid)
Potexvirus
Cymbidium mosaic virus (CymMV)
Tobravirus
Tobacco rattle virus (TRV)
Potyvirus
Bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV)
Dendrobium mosaic virus (DenMV)
Clover yellow vein virus (CYVV)
Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV)
Vanilla mosaic virus (VaMV)
Phalaenopsis chlorotic spot virus (PhCSV)
Closterovirus
Dendrobium vein necrosis virus (DVMV)
Isometric
Tombusvirus
Cymbidium ringspot virus (CyRSV)
Carmovirus
Carnation mottle virus (CarMV)
Cucumovirus
Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV)
Nepovirus
Tomato ringspot virus (TomRSV)
Tospovirus
Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV)
Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV)
Capsicum chlorosis virus (CaCV)
Unassigned
Orchid fleck virus (OFV)
 Orchid viruses found in Taiwan
1. Odontoglossum ringspot virus (ORSV)
2. Cymbidium mosaic virus (CymMV)
3. Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV)
4. Capsicum chlorosis virus-phalaenopsis isolate (CaCV)
5. Phalaenopsis chlorotic spot virus (PhCSV)
6. Bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV)
7. Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV)
8. Carnation mottle virus (CarMV)
9. Orchid fleck virus (OFV)
 Odontoglossum ringspot virus (ORSV)
Tobamovirus, rigid rods, 300 nm in length
Heat stable, tolerant up to 95℃
Highly stable in vitro, last over years (10 yrs)
Transmitted by mechanical contact, no vector known
 Cymbidium mosaic virus (CymMV)

Potexviruses, filamentous particles (450 nm in length)

Transmitted by contact, no vector known.
Not as stable in vitro as ORSV,
but very stable compared to other
plant viruses.
Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV)
• Symptoms: yellow striping on leaves.
• Cucumovirus
• Isometric particles
• Mechanically transmissible and also
by aphids with non-persistent manner.
• Occurs more frequently on orchids
grown in open fields
Capsicum chlorosis virus (CaCV)

Incorrectly called “Taiwan virus”

• Symptoms: chlorotic ringspot on leaves.
• Tospovirus
• Isometric enveloped particles.
• Serologically related to serogroup IV
tospoviruses.
• Mechanically transmissible and also
by thrips with persistent manner.
• Species of vector thrips is not known yet.
 Phalaenopsis chlorotic spot virus (PhCSV)
or Basella rugose mosaic virus (BaRMV) ?
Potyvirus

Mechanical transmissible and also

by aphid with non-persistent manner

Induce chlorotic spot symptoms on

leaves

Need to confirm its taxonomic status.

 Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV)
Potyvirus

Transmitted mainly by aphids with

non-persistent manner.

Natural hosts for TuMV are cruciferous

vegetables.

Found only once in Taiwan.

Carnation mottle virus (CarMV)

Carmovirus, Tombusviridae

Very stable in vitro and remains infective

for long period of time.

Can easily contaminate working benches

and laminar flow.

Possibly induce chlorotic spots on Phalaenopsis.

 Orchid fleck virus (OFV)
Rhabdovirus The unassigned viruses

Bullet shaped virus particles

Transmitted by mites (Brevipalpus californicus)

First reported in Japan.

Occurring also in Brazil,

Germany, USA and Australia
OFV has been eradicated since 2005
 Table. Result of surveillance of Orchid fleck virus in Taiwan
since 2005 to 2007.
Result
Source Species No. of sample Detection method Date RT-PCR ELISA

Lu-ku cymbidium 37 ELISA 94.12.08 - 0/37

Yu-chi cymbidium >5000 V. I. 95.10.07 0 0
Chai-yi phalaenopsis 2 RT-PCR 95.10.23 0/2 -
TDAIS cymbidium 3 RT-PCR, ELISA 96.01.26 0/3 0/3
TDAIS cymbidium 16 RT-PCR, ELISA 96.01.26 0/16 0/16
Yu-chi cymbidium >5000 V. I. 96.01.26 0 0
Pin-tung phalaenopsis 1 RT-PCR 96.04.10 0/1 -
Hou-Li oncidium 5 RT-PCR 96.08.22 0/5 -
Pu-Li oncidium 1 RT-PCR 96.09.28 0/1 -
V.I. : Visual inspection
Symptoms induced by ORSV on Phalaenopsis spp.
ORSV symptoms on oncidiums
ORSV symptoms on other orchids
CymMV symptoms on Phalaenopsis spp.
CymMV symptoms on Oncidiums
CymMV symptoms on other orchids
 Symptoms on Phalaenopsis induced
by dual infection of ORSV and CymMV
ORSV
CymMV
 Symptom expression:

1. Type of infected virus?

2. Single or mixed infection?
3. Natural resistance of cultivar?
4. Age of plant?
5. Environment factor?
6. Stress?
 Mode of transmission and virus sources
1. Transmission from infected mother plants by vegetative
propagation including tissue culture.
 Mode of transmission and virus sources
2. Seed-borne transmission
Survey of virus infection in
Phalaenopsis seedlings

Virus infection rate of Phalaenopsis seedlings

propagated from tree seeds

Sources No. of Virus infection rate

of flask flask ORSV CyMV O+C (%)

A-W 9 1 0 0 0.7
B-6106 10 3 3 1 4.7
C-00110 10 7 6 3 10.7
D-34010 10 11 58 7 50.7
 Tissue

Seeds Virus concentration in different parts of

Phalaenopsis fruit capsule assayed by ELISA
fibers

A B C D
ORSV CyMV ORSV CyMV ORSV CyMV ORSV CyMV
Capsuls 0.065 * * * 0.315 1.108 0.589 0.060
Cotton fiber with seeds 0.112 * * * 0.071 1.701 * 0.043
Cotton fiber 0.148 * * * 0.086 0.045 * 0.033
Seed wash 1 time with 0.077 1.574 0.287 2.315 0.108 0.049 0.335 0.085
ddH2O
Seed wash 2 times with 0.049 2.545 0.260 0.592 0.142 0.054 0.569 0.058
ddH2O
Seed wash 3 times with 0.024 1.791 0.421 0.521 0.098 0.058 0.178 0.072
ddH2O
Seed wash 4 times with 0.063 2.955 0.516 0.276 0.096 0.102 0.047 0.076
ddH2O
Seed wash 5 times with 0.091 1.598 1.103 0.496 0.025 0.101 0.080 0.060
ddH2O
 Mechanisms for seed transmission of Phalaenopsis orchids

1. ORSV and CyMV are only contaminating on the surface of seeds

instead of infecting the seeds.
2. Virus infected mother plants will produce infected capsules with
high concentration of viruses on the seeds and the fibers.
3. Seeding the infected fibers together with the seeds will eventually
result infected seedlings.
4. Infection rate of the seedlings is variable depending
Tissue
of the workers during subculture of the seedling.

Seeds

fibers
 Mode of transmission and virus sources

3. Virus contamination during tissue culture passages.

 Mode of transmission and virus sources
4. Virus contamination during transplanting of plantlets
 Mode of transmission and virus sources
5. Transmission by mechanical
contact during culturation.
 Mode of transmission and virus sources

7. Transmission by insect or other pests.

 How to produce virus clean orchid plantlets
1. Screening for non-infected plants before
mericloning propagation
a. Collect true to type and symptomless plants.
b. Maintain in a isolated house and keep them well separated.
c. Apply virus indexing tests such as ELISA or RT-PCR on the plants.
d. Eliminate any detected plants from the isolated house.
e. Perform virus check again after at least one month later.
f. Conduct mericloning on the doubly checked plants.
g. Keep the doubly checked plants as mother stocks and apply virus
check at least once every year.
Special concerns:
1. Apply sensitive, dependable and reproducible
virus indexing techniques.
ELISA, RT-PCR, Biochips, Immuno-strips (Rapid test), etc.

2. Use the right sampling method.

3. Repeats and alternatives.

 (Enzyme linked immuno-sorbent assay, ELISA)
• The most widely used plant virus indexing technique since 1977.

1. Sensitive
2. Specific
3. Efficient
4. Reproducibe
5. Objective
6. Cost effective
Naktuinbouw
 Fluctuation of virus concentration in orchid tissue as
determined by ELISA within one year.
4.0 4.2 4.2
3.8 4.0 4.0
3.6 3.8 3.8
3.4 3.6 3.6
3.2 3.4 3.4
3.0 3.2 3.2
2.8 3.0 3.0
2.6 2.8 2.8
2.4 2.6 2.6
2.4 2.4
2.2 2.2
2.0 2.2
2.0 2.0
1.8 1.8 1.8
1.6 1.6 1.6
1.4 1.4 1.4
1.2 1.2 1.2
1.0 1.0 1.0
0.8 0.8 0.8
0.6 0.6 0.6
0.4 0.4 0.4
0.2 0.2 0.2
0.0 0.0 0.0
-0.2 -0.2
-0.4
93.08 93.09 93.10 93.11 93.12 94.01 94.02 94.03 94.04 94.05 94.06 94.07 94.08 94.09 93.08 93.09 93.10 93.11 93.12 94.01 94.02 94.03 94.04 94.05 94.06 94.07 94.08 94.09 93.08 93.09 93.10 93.11 93.12 94.01 94.02 94.03 94.04 94.05 94.06 94.07 94.08 94.09

4.0 2.8 4.2

3.8 4.0
2.6 3.8
3.6
3.4 2.4 3.6
3.2 3.4
2.2
3.0 3.2
2.8 2.0 3.0
2.6 2.8
1.8 2.6
2.4
2.2 1.6 2.4
2.0 1.4 2.2
2.0
1.8 1.2 1.8
1.6 1.6
1.4 1.0
1.4
1.2 0.8 1.2
1.0 1.0
0.8 0.6
0.8
0.6 0.4 0.6
0.4 0.4
0.2
0.2 0.2
0.0 0.0 0.0
-0.2 -0.2 -0.2
-0.4 -0.4
93.08 93.09 93.10 93.11 93.12 94.01 94.02 94.03 94.04 94.05 94.06 94.07 94.08 94.09 93.08 93.09 93.10 93.11 93.12 94.01 94.02 94.03 94.04 94.05 94.06 94.07 94.08 94.09 93.08 93.09 93.10 93.11 93.12 94.01 94.02 94.03 94.04 94.05 94.06 94.07 94.08 94.09

4.2 4.2 4.2

4.0 4.0 4.0
3.8 3.8 3.8
3.6 3.6 3.6
3.4 3.4 3.4
3.2 3.2 3.2
3.0 3.0 3.0
2.8 2.8 2.8
2.6 2.6 2.6
2.4 2.4 2.4
2.2 2.2 2.2
2.0 2.0 2.0
1.8 1.8 1.8
1.6 1.6 1.6
1.4 1.4 1.4
1.2 1.2 1.2
1.0 1.0 1.0
0.8 0.8 0.8
0.6 0.6 0.6
0.4 0.4 0.4
0.2 0.2 0.2
0.0 0.0 0.0
-0.2 -0.2

93.08 93.09 93.10 93.11 93.12 94.01 94.02 94.03 94.04 94.05 94.06 94.07 94.08 94.09 93.08 93.09 93.10 93.11 93.12 94.01 94.02 94.03 94.04 94.05 94.06 94.07 94.08 94.09 93.08 93.09 93.10 93.11 93.12 94.01 94.02 94.03 94.04 94.05 94.06 94.07 94.08 94.09
 One-tube multiplex RT-PCR assays
Detect CymMV and ORSV simultaneously

ELISA O+C+ O- O+ C+ O+C+ O- C+ H

400 bp ORSV

300 bp CyMV

Tissue culture
Field plant
 One-step multiplex RT-PCR for simultaneous detection of
ORSV, CymMV and CaCV

M CaCV Cy Or C+O COA H

CaCV
Taiwan virus

CymMV
ORSV
CaCV

ATPas
 Biochip detection technology

N C N

O A O
N C N

Biotin labeled PCR product Streptavidin-AP

AP
B

B
AP
B

Probe
 Biochip system for simultaneous detection of
ORSV and CymMV.

N C N
Biochips O A O
N C N

RT-PCR
CyMV
ORSV

ATPase

ELISA CyMV 0.165 0.005 0.109 0.219

ORSV 0.099 0.024 0.069 1.951
H CK B C D. CK
 Biochip system for simultaneous detection of
ORSV, CymMV and CaCV
M CaCV Cy Or C+O COA H

設計圖
Hb CK ATPae
CymMV ORSV
CaCV

CaCV

CaCV CymMV ORSV C+O C+O+A H

Special concerns:

1. Apply sensitive, dependable and reproducible

virus indexing techniques.

2. Use the right sampling method.

Leaves, roots, or spikes.
and How to sample.

3. Repeats and alternatives.

Do not depend on one single test.
Use different techniques to confirm.
 Timing and techniques for Phalaenopsis virus indexing
in Taiwan.

Tissue
Mother Mother cultured Young
stocks flasks plantlets plantlets

ELISA PCR PCR PCR / ELISA ELISA

Special concerns:
2. Take special precaution to prevent clean mother stocks
from re-infection by viruses.

Maintaining clean mother stocks.

Executing sanitation procedures.

Cleaning of growing environment, tools, clothes and

worker’s hands appropriately
Maintaining in isolated clean room
Concluding remarks:
1. Producing virus clean orchids is a win-win situation for
propagators and finished plants providers.

2. All partners in the orchid production chain should implement

serious sanitation and strict production procedures to prevent
virus spread.

3. However, it is difficult for nurseries to guarantee absolutely

clean flowering orchids considering the high possibilities of re-
infection during lengthy growing period.

4. Orchid consumers or down stream growers should compromise

and accept the reality that certain percentage of virus infection in
the finished flowering plants would not affect their mutual
benefits.
Concluding remarks:

5. This understanding and compromise will certainly help the harmony

of international orchid trading.
6. It should be emphasized again that, in the long run, screening of
THANK YOU
virus-free stocks before mass propagation is a must for all orchid
propagators.
7. No companies can overlook this common demand and still maintain
their competitiveness in the orchid industry around the world.