HVX vectoring by wildlife

[isadora]

This has probably been mentioned before, but all the emphasis is on cleaning tools, etc. but what would keep HVX from being spread by marauding deer, ground hogs, voles, Japanese beetles, grasshoppers, hail, etc? Are we doomed from the outset no matter what we do?

[Chris_W]

Hi,

Since HVX can move just from handling roots and plants (the transmission rate from simple handling is about 1 to 2%) then it is also likely that animals that contact plants could also spread HVX. Ground moles, voles, squirrels, deer, or anything else that can stomp, cut, or scratch a plant could potentially spread HVX. Dust storms, tree branches, hail, etc. could also spread HVX. The rate might be very low, but it is still a risk. My biggest worry would be from burrowing creatures as they could make extensive contact with the roots and crowns of many different plants in a garden.

Because of these uncontrollable factors it really is too risky to just keep HVX infected plants in the garden, even if you are "isolating" them. In order to stop the spread of HVX we MUST destroy all of the infected plants. We need to have zero tolerance in nurseries, grower fields, and gardens or we will never get rid of it.

Thanks for asking!

Chris

[isadora]

Seems to me part of the problem is just not destroying infected plants when we find them, but having infected plants in the garden and not knowing it because it sometimes takes so long to show up. Outside factors could be spreading it for years before it is discovered and thru the entire garden.

I have read about using an aspirin solution to stop HVX. Has any more research been done on that? If it works, shouldn't we be treating ALL of our hostas with it? Does it work as a preventive measure? Or is that just a bunch of crap?

[Chris_W]

Hi,

I hate to say it, but treating with Aspirin sounds like a bunch of BS to me, so much so that I don't even think it warrants further research, in my opinion.

One aspect that I'd like to see researched further is the possibility of heat treating for HVX. It is known that heat treating kills the virus, though at a higher temperature than is safe for the plant, but if you can get the soil hot enough where an HVX infected hosta used to be then you might be able to sterilize the garden and plant a hosta again.

But yes, treating with Aspirin is highly, highly unlikely to do anything to rid a plant of any virus. Known virucides can't kill HVX because you simply can't get it into the plants at the cellular level, and I suspect any other antiviral would be the same. Even if Aspirin did have some antiviral properties (which it is not known to have) it would be nearly impossible to get it into the plant cells and would be highly unlikely to rid a plant of HVX.

Sorry,

Chris

[garcan]

It is interesting that Chris mentioned 'heat'. I have three holes in the garden that were previously occupied by HVX inffected hosta. It is very frustrating to do garden maintenance around the areas and living with the fear that the surrounding plants may be affected sooner or later. I was contemplating pouring burning BBQ charcoal into the hole after I finish cooking. After all, carbonization seems to create very fertile soil, provided, of course, appropriate precaution on fire hazard are observed. What do you think Chris? Stupid idea?

[Rosenzobel]

my question is: how much heat does it take to kill the virus? I think- the heat will probably sooner kill the plant ( the roots must be heaten up to a point, on that the virus dies!?)(sorry my bad english-i hope you understand what i´ll try to say?!

[Chris_W]

Like I mentioned, the heat needed to kill HVX is MUCH higher than it takes to kill a hosta, so you can't heat treat a hosta - in order to kill the virus it would also kill the plant. I was referring to heat treating the soil after removing an HVX infected hosta.

I don't think BBQ charcoal would provide the same benefits as soil carbonization. I'm not even sure if BBQ charcoal is non-toxic, so don't know enough about it to comment.

[dhaven]

I don't know what tests have been conducted on HVX to determine heat tolerance, but viruses as a whole are remarkably heat resistant. The Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy virus, also referred to as Mad Cow Disease, will survive any temperature less than 1600 degrees. When they destroyed herds of infected cattle in England, they poured massive amounts of accelerant on the carcasses to achieve the high temperatures necessary to kill the virus.

Viruses buried in the soil can survive for decades, even centuries. In the early 1900s an anthrax outbreak occured, and infected flocks of sheep were slaughtered and buried, generally at least 15-20 feet deep. It is still possible to find one of these sites, dig down, and recover viable anthrax virus.

It is to be hoped that research will be done to determine how high a temperature is required to kill HVX, and a method found to do so in the home garden. Until that time, I for one will not recommend planting hostas in any spot previously occupied by an infected hosta.