Which breeders test for pathogens?

[xtsho]

The average HpLVd infection rate in the United States is 30%, with places like California reporting up to 90% of grows testing positive for HpLVd in their facilities.

source:
Latentes Hopfenviroid (HLVd): Umgang mit der größten Bedrohung für den Cannabisanbau - Grow Glide

Are the percentages realistic?

They're real enough that an entire industry has sprung up making significant amounts of money from cannabis growers. Those numbers are beneficial to those that are providing them.

I'm 100% positive that my infection rate is 0%. I have enough quality genetics that are HpLVd free to last me the rest of my life. If I was going to do meristem tissue culture to save some so called must have strain then I'd just buy the materials needed, make a hood, and do it. There is more than enough free information available to educate yourself and be successful at tissue culture. You can get everything needed for under $500 US.

People all over the world are cloning all varieties of plants using tissue culture with very simple setups. It's not that complicated of a process to perform and it's fairly simple to put together a small tissue culture lab. The methods are the same for cannabis as other plants.

 

[Fuel]

Realistic in the sense of a narrowed production revolving around the same cuts, even Oregon is tributary of the Cali cuts (but they deal with HLVD and the overall traceability differently).

The 90% given by Tumi and quoted in the article is a bit biased. It can be the feedback on dispensaries chains (even more narrowed in term of genetics), an extrapolation of their tests ... it's a bit blurry for me.

 

[xtsho]

Realistic in the sense of a narrowed production revolving around the same cuts, even Oregon is tributary of the Cali cuts (but they deal with HLVD and the overall traceability differently).

The 90% given by Tumi and quoted in the article is a bit biased. It can be the feedback on dispensaries chains (even more narrowed in term of genetics), an extrapolation of their tests ... it's a bit blurry for me.

The numbers are coming from entities that profit from testing. It's the new cash cow in the cannabis industry.

 

[Ca++]

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Some sort of home testing kit, that's far too expensive to have a price published. You know what they say "If you have to ask, you can't afford it"

 

[red eye joe]

With the constant spread of things like the hops virus, I'm wondering if any seed breeders are regularly testing their stock. I have never heard of a v2.0 because v1.0 had to be destroyed.

I think you have a basic misunderstanding of how plants are actually bred. Every generation, a good breeder culls any plants that have susceptibility to diseases and problems. They breed for disease resistance so that they don't *have* to trash a 1.0 release then rework the line again.

So I'm guessing nobody is spending $25 checking incoming plants, and randomly rechecking the mums people use off-site to make seeds for them.
I can't get the testing done here, but as a buyer, intending to get stock to last for years, $25 to test one of the runts from a pack is basic insurance.

Insurance is a scam. This "cheap insurance" argument is always one I've looked down upon. Frugal people and businessmen don't waste their money on unnecessary expenses like insurance, no matter how "cheap" it might seem to people who like to waste their money on bullshit.

I know a breeder with a good looking plant, doesn't want to spend $25 finding out it's bad. However, when a customer does, that could be big news. Only Bugbee has really spoke about testing his stock, and actually kept stuff that failed. Showing how unwilling people are to find and fix issues.

Sounds as if he likely just knows more about real world breeding than you and the other armchair "breeding experts" which infest forums like this.

 

[Ca++]

No, he actually kept stuff I said should be chucked, and then ruined his grow. Last year saw a lack of papers from a few big names, as they pulled out their grows and started again. Unable to produce any meaningful data, as they overlooked issues they did actually know about, but thought they could handle.
Like you, they thought they could look at the plants, and detect susceptibility. Unfortunately, that only works after the fact. These guys are not holding viral material, to infect plant's and record results. It is very typical for a mum to get something like the hops virus, and not show it. The attitude you portray, that they would know, is the problem. They simply don't, without testing, and even then, might fancy themselves as able to cope. People here posted this, before it happened. So perhaps have a think about the hierarchy of armchair opinions, and respected professors, and yourself.

Some proof of testing, would register in the minds of these that do understand the pressures of breeding. Which would improve reputation. Which is what people hear, more than what people know. Simply put, any extra effort to keep things clean, can't be a bad thing. In a competitive market, this shouldn't be a unique selling point, yet it would be. I just did a boarder run to fetch seeds from a few breeders, at a cost way above the seeds value alone. I would of paid for their mums to be tested myself. A drop in the ocean, financially. If that's not good insurance in your opinion, fair enough. Don't imagine you are speaking for everybody though. Be honest with yourself. If you ever buy seeds, wouldn't you like to hear the seed crop was tested for the major problems of today. If you say no again, you are frankly an idiot.

 

[Captain Red Eye]

The numbers are coming from entities that profit from testing. It's the new cash cow in the cannabis industry.

C'mon man! That stuff never happens !

 

[red eye joe]

"It is very typical for a mum to get something like the hops virus, and not show it. The attitude you portray, that they would know, is the problem."

Bullshit. I bet you believe people can get "COVID" with no symptoms, also.

Whether or not my plants "have the hops virus" or not is irrelevant. The question is, are they affected negatively by it? The answer is no. If any plants were, they would be culled.