How University Collaboration Boosts the Health and Vitality of Orchids

At North Carolina State University, Dianne Mays and Alisha Ray from the Department of Horticultural Science recently teamed up with Jennie Fagen from the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. This collaboration focused on improving the health of orchids in their greenhouses, providing valuable learning experiences for students.

Both Mays and Ray work behind the scenes in the greenhouses next to the Marye Anne Fox Science Teaching Laboratory. They face ongoing challenges, particularly from plant viruses. This partnership allowed Fagen’s class to test around 32 orchids for two viruses: orchid ring spot and Cymbidium mosaic virus, which complicate pest and disease control.

Every year, Fagen’s lab conducts virus testing as part of their curriculum. This time, the Department of Horticultural Science provided the plant materials and lab space, while the students brought the necessary testing kits and worked directly in the greenhouse. The testing was done in a safe environment, allowing healthy orchids to thrive.

According to Mays, “It’s not a bad thing because we can rebuild knowing our collection is clean.” This thorough process aims to ensure that viruses do not affect other plants in the conservatory.

Testing doesn’t stop with the orchids. Mays emphasizes the importance of routinely checking other plants in the conservatory to maintain its beauty and health. Fagen hopes to continue this collaboration beyond just orchids, focusing on various plants within the conservatory.

Maintaining a disease-free conservatory would ease the process of testing new plants and help keep everything sanitized. Mays notes, “In all, it would be far easier to keep diseases out of the conservatory and the plants healthy and flowering.”

For more information on the methods of disease testing used in this collaboration and thoughts for future partnerships, you can read the original article by Issac Lewis here.