This a new article on LBJ http://www.lebonjardinier.com/article-virus.htm
Virus diseases
what concerns me is that a friend got an email stating that LBJ had a virus problem and that's why they were so far behind. I'm NOT trying to sully their reputation, but I did see the email from them. How could I ever trust any plant I got from them? And for you serious hybridizers, if the effects are minimal, and the worst effected plant dies, is this really a big worry? Don't mean to make light of it, I am still learning and would like to know. Cala!! What's your input on this as a nurseryman?
tiG I just read on GW - someone said they received a notice that one of their green houses had been destroyed over the summer by a storm. I would like to get the scoup on this company. I still haven't ordered yet but I've been planning on it.
I do know that it takes 2 weeks or more to answer an email.
I received 2 different emails from them about the storm and also the virus problem. Seems like they imported some brugs from So. America and they had a virus. They are "supposedly" using a lab to tissue culture their stock. When a serious virus problem threatened the geraniums and New Guinea impatiens a few years ago, they used tissue culture to grow virus free stock. The thing that scares me most is that the plants can "harbor" the virus yet remain symptom free while passing it on to other plants. Viruses aren't like bacteria and fungi in that they will only infect a few plants of a specific species, virus(es,ii) cross species. Like daylily rust only infects daylilies, geranium blight only geraniums etc....viruses like aster wilt as you know affect lots of plants. INSV and TSWV are SERIOUS problems in the greenhouse. We take great measures to insure that our spring plants are free of both and also to insure that we don't have thrips in the green house. (Thrips are the insects that are responsible for spreading most of the viruses)
I finally told LBJ to forget the order I sent in last fall (2000) and to give me my money back.
With all the trading going on,it's almost certain that we are passing virii around the country.From what I read,if you keep the growing conditions right,virus isn't a big problem.