Critter Creek Laboratory Is Closed Permanently
Critter Creek Lab has permanently closed.
It is with great sadness that I’m letting you know Critter Creek Lab is closing permanently. After 40+ years, and many changes, it is time to say goodbye. Orchid Virus testing has changed over the years. Even in retirement, Dr. Arthur V. Allison, kept up with current happenings in the orchid testing world. His love of Plant Pathology and Virology kept us current for many years. Unfortunately, he passed several years ago, and while I’m a great lab rat, and can answer many questions, I do not have his background or passion. Also, the landscape of testing has changed, moving toward home testing. While more expensive, home testing is much more convenient. Without our driving force to keep us relevant in the orchid virus world, and dropping customers, it is time to bow out. I will miss my customers, many of whom I’ve known for the 30+ years I’ve been running the company. Take care of yourselves.
Regards, Jane Leebeck
Critter Creek Lab
Some reagents for sanitizing/sterilizing:
Bleach such as Clorox—10% solution (1 cup of bleach in 9 cups of water) Sodium Hydroxide (lye) – 1% solution (1 pound can in 99 pounds of water [~12 gallons] TSP (trisodium phosphate)– saturated solution—add solid to (warm) water with stirring until no more will dissolve and then a little bit more so there is…
Some basic ideas for prevention or at least control of plant virus infections
Ideally start with uninfected plants through: Buying from reputable dealer Visual appearance i.e. no obvious symptoms of viral infection Testing for presence of virus Playing the percentages- 1) Vegetatively propagated plants are more likely to be infected than those produced from seed. 2) The longer a perennial plant has…
Continue Reading Some basic ideas for prevention or at least control of plant virus infections
Examples of Leaves and Flowers of Virus Infected Plants
Here are some examples of virused leaves. These are flowers that are showing symptoms of virus.
Continue Reading Examples of Leaves and Flowers of Virus Infected Plants
Viruses and Orchids
A little over 100 years ago the first of a new type of a disease-causing agent in plants was identified–the virus. When I started studying plant viruses in the late 1960’s there were probably 300+ known. Depending on which authority you believe, there are now between 1500 and 2500 different viruses that infect plants. Fortunately…