My Mei-Nung has Bamv mosaic virus- what do I do?

[tiareman]

Hello all-

I am new to the forum.. I found it while researching the Bamboo mosaic virus- which I just found out today is a problem with Dendro. 'Mei Nung'

I checked out my plant (newly planted only a few culms) and the leaves are showing trace amounts of the yellow mosaic.. so i think its infected.

My question is, does this mean I should remove it from my yard, and what actual effects will it have on the plant?

I have a bunch of other bamboos in the yard, although not actually right near the mei-nung. Some are Bambusa Lako, Minor (angel mist), chungii, and asian lemon

I am bummed that my Mei Nung is infected, because I was looking forward to watching those green striped culms get big :) I am hoping the virus won't really affect it much other than my being careful when pruning.. (fingers crossed)

[tharlow]

Whatever you do, sterilize any tools you use to cut or dig on it before using those tools on your other bamboo. This is good practice to begin with, but essential in your situation. Basically D. latiflorus Mei Nung in the U.S. is infected with BMV. It's a beautiful plant but it's all infected. Some argue to destroy all infected plants. If it's small, you probably ought to kill it as the right thing to do.

If you drop me an email, I'd really like to get you in touch with people in your immediate area with whom you can discuss this and other bamboo matters in length. Also if you get on the Florida Bamboo list mentioned in my signature, you can search and find a number of threads on BMV and Mei Nung.

--Tom

P.S. If you click on the tharlow on the forum web page you can send me an off list email message, and I can get you in touch with people in the Melbourne area.

[tiareman]

thanks- I'll definitely keep the tool siatuation quarantined. I won't be trimming it for awhile anyway.

What effect does the virus have on its growth? Just the little spots on the leaves? Will it still produce full sized culms, etc?

I paid a chunk for this one, so I really don't want to nuke it unless i have to.

But I do have other bamboos- about 20 clumps in all, and almost all of them are bambusa or dendro- so i suppose it could be spread to pretty much every plant I have if I werent careful.. is there any other way for it to spread besides using contaminated tools?

[tharlow]

Yes with that plant it will probably only discolor the leaves in a mosaic pattern, but it might spread to other boos (it appears to be spread primarily through tools), and in Taiwan it has seriously damaged shoot production in some species.--Tom

Here are some links to literature on BMV:

http://www.bamboo.org.au/BoMV.htm


http://biology.anu.edu.au/Groups/MES/vide/descr054.htm


http://ejournal.sinica.edu.tw/bbas/content/1997/2/bot382-02.html
HEAVY DUTY Biology here, but
probably a good reference on what is known about it.

http://www.res.bbsrc.ac.uk/mirror/auz/ICTVdB/56010000.htm

From a past discussion on the topic at:

http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm?gid=675378&messageid=4078

Subject: Re: [CFLBamboo] Bambusa Dolichomerithalla GreenStripe ///BaMV commentary
Created on 04 Jul 2004 12:57:32
Message #4078 of 4596
Posted By Mark W. Caspermeyer, D.V.M.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John,

** I had not been following this thread real close, but the mention of
Bamboo Mosaic Potex Virus caught my eye. As a result of having unknowingly
purchased an infected D. latiflouris, via mail order, in 2000 and
unwittingly
planting it in my B. oldhamii grove, I have done fairly extensive
research on this topic. At the Annual ABS meeting in Miami last year I
gave a joint presentation on the topic along with Dr Carlye Baker ,
virologist for the Florida Department of Agriculture. Regrettably, I have
so far been too busy recently to facilitate publishing the manuscript from
our presentation. You can find some good information on the virus at
www.bamboo.org.au/BoMV.htm
Also, please scroll down for my hopefully helpful commentary (**) on your
previous email (below).

This is what I have been told about the virus that this plant is possibly
infected with. Most plants handle the virus with little or no visual
symptoms.

**it depends on the bamboo species, season of the year (the plant's growth
stage) and other factors
whether there will be visual symptoms in the leaves at a given point in
time.

Ornamentally, I don't think there are many concerns, however I
have no idea how the virus affects timber, or edible shoots etc.

** The virus has devastated the shoot industry (D. latiflorous and B.
oldhamii) in Taiwan- China. There is 70-82% disease incidence reported
from different localities. The diseased shoots become hard in texture,
internal tissues are discolored and their edible and canning quality
declines markedly. Economic losses are very high . (Source- Diseases of
Bamboo in Asia, by C. Mohanan ).

The virus is in fact spread by cutting tools, kind like bamboo aids. Some
people
have said the virus can be spread by leaves touching, I have heard much
against that.

** true

Plants like D. Latiflorous Mei Nung, D. Latiflorous, along with B.
Beecheyana, are said to be infected.

** the virus can also infect many other species including P. nigra. How
many plants have really been tested??

Saporito has done extensive testing
with a reliable method involving an electron microscope (besides viewing
leaves in the light) to establish presence of the virus. He has found one
planting of a virus-free beecheyana and he is now growing a virus-free
latiflorous in his nursery.

** I provided Robert Saporito with his virus- free latiflorous ( which I had
prior tested multiple times over several years, via electron microscopy
using Dr Baker's lab).
I had also sent tissues from my positive plant for "controls" which she
caught every time; so "yes", EM is reliable). Phil Jones, virologist for
the Tropical Virus Unit in The UK, was the first virologist whom I had
contacted in 2001. He told me EM was a good test for BaMV, as the virus is
in fairly high titre and the probability of false negatives is low.

Brent Adrian had told me that all of the B. Dolichoclada 'Stripe' he has
ever seen shows very strong visual symptoms of the virus, the plant looked
plain sick, leaves are few and very pale, the plant could barely process
chrorophyl.
I have continued to grow my Beecheyana and intend on getting it tested for
the virus as I hope to try some food shoots someday.

** I am regularly enjoying eating some tasty shoots from my grove, thanks to
having eliminated the virus from my grove. Please do get your beechey
tested.
I hope it is negative, but if it is positive, destroy it immediately.

** the bottom line on BaMV is that ALL infected plants in the USA , whether
they are showing symptoms are not, should be DESTROYED. Feel free to
contact Dr Carlye Baker, Florida Department of Agriculture if you have
further questions regarding this position .

Sincerely,
Mark W. Caspermeyer, D.V.M.

[tiareman]

Thanks-

That's some good info.

I am curious about this question/reply:

"The virus is in fact spread by cutting tools, kind like bamboo aids. Some
people
have said the virus can be spread by leaves touching, I have heard much
against that.

** true"

does his reply of "true" mean it DOES spread via touching leaves, or that there's no weight to that arguement?


I think i may contact R. Saporito regarding the virus- it seems he would know what I can/cannot do with this bamboo...

do you happen to know if there is now a virus-free Mei nung available? perhaps I could (begrudgingly) replace it

[tharlow]

I believe that it all has the virus. It does transmit via mechanical contact. So branch to branch rubbing seems plausible. There are reports from one grower (not one mentioned in the last post) that it does not. You might wish to talk with Robert Saporito the President of the Florida-Caribbean Chapter of the American Bamboo Society. He's also in the nursery business and would know the risk better than I.

http://www.tropicalbamboo.org/
Chapter web page

Tom

[Ribeiro]

We also bought an infected Mei nung with MOSAIC POTEX VIRUS. We wash the roots once with 10% clorax solution,and watered it 2-3 times with the same solution, and used regular wood ash in the potting mixture, and is now completly virus free. Joe & Maria.

[tiareman]

does that actually work?

Can anybody back this theory up?