Patriot infection or paranoid?

Discuss Hosta Virus X and share pictures and information on this ever increasing threat to hosta growing.

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Bill_B
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Patriot infection or paranoid?

Post by Bill_B »

Hi all - I am new to the forums and found this informative area to post about Hosta Virus X. I have a group of Patriot hostas that I have had since 2007 purchased from an online vendor. I finally found a place where they seem to be growing good and this year they look a bit odd. What are your thoughts, am I in trouble? Thanks for your help!
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Chris_W
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Re: Patriot infection or paranoid?

Post by Chris_W »

Hi Billy,

This is the area of concern to me. That is what we often call collapsing tissue.
Patriot-Suspicious.jpg
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What does the back of the leaf look like? Is the back layer of tissue bubbling and separating from the inner layers? If so, this could be some frost/freeze damage, but if the back looks normal I'm really leaning towards HVX. Patriot is one that is very often infected without showing any symptoms for a long time. If the company you bought these from got them from the Dutch then I would say it is definitely infected.

Check the back of that leaf, or post a picture of the back of it so I can take a glance at it.

Chris
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Bill_B
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Re: Patriot infection or paranoid?

Post by Bill_B »

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the quick reply - that collapsed tissue is exactly what I was afraid of after doing some reading in this forum. I will snap a pic tonight and post it up to see what you think. I really hope I didnt infect alot of other plants when I started moving them to more permanent locations last year - live and learn I guess. All of the 6 patriot i have have seem a bit mottled to me so I am guessing I may be in trouble :(

More later when I can get better pics.

Bill
Bill_B
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Re: Patriot infection or paranoid?

Post by Bill_B »

Here are a few pics just in case some are bad :) Two of the backside of the leaf in question and one more of the front just in case.
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Chris_W
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Re: Patriot infection or paranoid?

Post by Chris_W »

Thanks for the new pictures. The more I look at these the more my gut tells me HVX.

There is a slight browning and a little tissue separation at the very tip that could have been frost or cold damage very early on as it was just starting to emerge, but the cell collapse continues too far into the leaf from that small spot to be frost damage so I think we can safely rule out frost on this one. Knowing how prevalent HVX is among Patriot hostas I really think you can call this one infected.

Sorry!

Chris
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loisf
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Re: Patriot infection or paranoid?

Post by loisf »

Bill and Chris, thanks for the excellent photos and discussion about HVX and Patriot. My sister gave me my Patriot several years ago. It has always been lovely, but this year it came up looking just like yours, Bill. Strangely shaped, puckered leaves and tissue collapse. I tested with the Agdia strips and had a positive result. Some members on the other forum I frequent were convinced that I had disposed of a perfectly good plant. Thank you for affirming my position. Chris, once a hosta tests positive for HVX, why would anyone doubt a decision to toss the plant? Are the tests often wrong?
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Chris_W
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Re: Patriot infection or paranoid?

Post by Chris_W »

Hi Lois,

We were just discussing this on another topic, and no, the tests really don't give out false positives. Apparently the incidence of false negatives is also very low.

If you see symptoms and aren't sure but then get a positive test to go with it, you can rest assured it is infected. Sure, frost damage can mimic HVX a little bit, but later on that frost damage will lead to browning or melting out and other obvious signs of damage. HVX doesn't do that.

I also frequent the other forum from time to time. Luckily I don't have a blood pressure problem, but if I were to go there too much might develop one...
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steg
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Re: Patriot infection or paranoid?

Post by steg »

Chris_W wrote: I also frequent the other forum from time to time. Luckily I don't have a blood pressure problem, but if I were to go there too much might develop one...
Funny.....I was kinda thinking the same thing. I lurk there every once in a while, but not often enough. No need to go crazy. :beer:

loisf - solid decision, don't sweat it.

False positives can see the response above. Not likely. If you seriously doubt it, test with 2 strips.

False negative I can still see. As long as people keep in mind a negative result only indicates there is not enough virus present to get a positive result. That's why there isn't any real reason to test a plant until you visually think something is wrong. Most likely if you see the signs of HVX (or potential HVX) then you will get a positive result if HVX is present (with a properly run test).
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