Phalaenopsis Eating Microfungus !!!

[articuno75]

I ran into this blog while browsing on the web. It had me pretty spooked and wanting to put all my babies in a protective bubble. I never heard of a "microfungus". Can anyone elaborate? (Note pics of dying Phals in Part 2 are sad )

Part 1

Part 2

[kmarch]

I've seen these sorts of spots from time to time. In my opinion it's nothing particularly rare or unusual. From the sounds of it it was successfully treated with a systemic fungicide.

Don't be overly afraid over it. Just like any other disease, prevent it with good culture (air flow is key in this case), watch for it, and of you see it, treat it.

[brookn]

I saw this a couple of months ago, it made me shudder to think how sad it must have been to have this problem. I absolutely agree with Kevin about good culture, it is the best prevention.

[digitalgate]

one rule -dont let rain touches the leaves.

[articuno75]

I just never heard of the term "microfungus". Is it a new term for a new disease? According to this blog, it only seemed to attack Phals and nothing else. I didn't know if this has been a problem that has been around for a while or something that has just come about recently.

[Tobi]

In my 40 years of working in a Microbiology Lab, I have not heard of the term
"microfungus". Micro (indicating small) fungus is just too general of a term. If,
and I repeat if this is indeed a fungal infection, then it could be identified doing
a fungal culture. From what I have read, this was never attempted. A culture
would also rule out or identify a bacteria as well. I'll have to do a little more
research on this and see if I can find out anything more on it.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Personally, I am convinced the problem is the oil he is using. Does this look a bit like the pictures in the 'Part 2' above?

One of the 3 Phals infected with this is doing well today, and will bloom next season after being near death. The biggest difference for this plant is the elimination of the neem oil. I think the reason this is not recognized as the cause is because the damage is stress, resulting in a later infection by some fungus or just latent damage from the neem (or other) oil itself, so that the causal relationship is not obvious. It is also interesting to note that many of the symptoms that arise from neem oil use can be prevented by systemic fungicide use (hence the belief it is a secondary infection) and fits the description give in the articles.

[PhalPal]

In Part 1 of the above links there is a reference to a book by Bob Gordon, 'Culture of the Phal Orchid.' I cannot say enough about this book and every Phal lover/grower should have it. It is by far the most practical, educational book I have on orchids at any price. It divides sections into 'How to grow them,' 'How to grow them better,' and 'How to grow them best.' This is the only orchid book I have that I can count on to answer a question for me everytime I refer to it. Highly, highly recommended.

[digitalgate]

agree with cynthia. look fungus to me nonthing to worry about. Just spray fungicide and
let the plant grow on it on. Sometime how they grow , i have no control over them.
wait,.may be i can..force heal..

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Tobi

In my 40 years of working in a Microbiology Lab, I have not heard of the term
"microfungus". Micro (indicating small) fungus is just too general of a term. If,
and I repeat if this is indeed a fungal infection, then it could be identified doing
a fungal culture. From what I have read, this was never attempted. A culture
would also rule out or identify a bacteria as well. I'll have to do a little more
research on this and see if I can find out anything more on it.

Microfungus is a broad term referring to any fungus that does not produce a large fruiting body (macrofungus). It's kind of a pointless term for discussing orchid diseases as the pathogenic fungi that affect orchids are, as far as I'm aware, microfungi.

I've heard about the Phal 'microfungus' problem before. As far as I can make out it's just an unidentified/misidentified fungal problem in Phals. A lot of accounts suggests it spreads easily and can quickly kill the plant, as will any fungal problem if you don't know what fungus is the cause and therefore don't know what fungicide to use. I can only imagine, as often happens in orchid horticulture, that someone picked up on the term and ran with it despite inappropriate context. Microfungus sounds much more menacing and 'face-savingly' incurable than leaf rot .

[pikevi]

Tobi: I think you are right. But the term microfungus is used quite often, though it is not found in taxonomy. I guess the small fungi with short filaments (mycelia) are referred to as microfungus ( Penicillium notatum which produces penicillin is an example). Some fungi which can affect human nails are also referred to as microfungus... very difficult to cure.

It is more descriptive than a class by itself.