Red Blotch & seedlings/offsets

11 years ago

Maybe it's the new format, but I couldn't find any posts that answered my question exactly so here goes;

The leaves on one of my Amaryllis are showing what is probably red blotch. You might need to expand the image to see but it has spread quite a bit on the leaves now, and I am unfortunately pretty certain it is red blotch.

However, my question is regarding the two offsets and seedlings I have from selfing it. The leaves on the offsets show no signs of infection, but I don't know what the bulb looks like yet as I would normally be planting it out into the yard in the next week or so. If the offsets are both spot free, can I separate them and grow on their own or is it a foregone conclusion they are infected as they are growing from the mother bulb which is infected?

Second, the seedlings so far show no signs, but I did find posts indicating that disease is not always passed on in the seeds so they may be safe. Is that correct? I don't expect them to survive my inexperience but it would be nice if I had something left of this one since it is my favorite.

Thank you!

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Comments (3)

Roll2254
11 years ago
There is a small blurb with a picture in this article that may help you.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep060
brooklynbonnie thanked Roll2254
brooklynbonnie
Original Author
11 years ago
Hmm, still no mention of whether or not the seedlings or offsets would be infected automatically or not... Thank you though - that link had a good description of the hot water method for treatment.
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macroclemys
11 years ago
Seedlings should not be infected. Some types of fungi can pass from mother to seed because of mycelium residing in the seed coat or embryo, but in my experience this appears not happen with red blotch. Seedlings will grow up without the fungus, if they are not secondarily infected after germinating.

The offset could be infected because of its close contact with the mother. It would be very easy for spores of the fungus to be transferred from the mother to offset. But my understanding is that red blotch is not systemic, so it is not passed directly through though the living connection. This is unlike mosaic virus, in which the offset is nearly certain to receive the disease directly from the mother plant.

In Hippeastrum, many types of leaf damage can result in red markings, so yours may not be red blotch. If it is, however, it does not appear to be a serious case. I think most of us have red blotch in our collections, but we learn to manage it. I would be curious to hear if anyone here believes that s/he has a blotch-free collection. Maybe I am overly complacent about this. But in any case, it would do you well to try to prevent it from entering in the first place...

Bill
brooklynbonnie thanked macroclemys