Verdia · Library
Suspected viral plant problems
Record discolouration and distortion with dated photos, and see how Verdia routes any name containing virus, viroid or phytoplasma to its viral group.
A group with keywords only
Verdia's viral group has no genus list and no species exceptions. It relies on three keywords, virus, viroid and phytoplasma, searched anywhere in the lowercased name. A name such as Tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus therefore matches, because the word contains virus, even though its first word is not a genus.
These keywords come after the mildew and rust keywords in the app's list, so a name is only tested for them once those earlier keywords have not matched.
Because the viral group has no genus list, its keywords are the only way in. A result whose scientific name leaves out the words virus, viroid and phytoplasma, for example one given only as an abbreviation, reaches no group and shows no steps.
Observation steps
- Record discolouration and distortion on leaves, shoots, flowers or fruit.
- Note whether new growth is changing.
- Keep the plant's name with every entry.
- Take dated photos from the same angle, so changes can be compared.
Reading a viral result
If Tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus comes back at 37 percent, the app shows its viral steps. This page repeats one: plant viruses cannot be cured, so keep this plant away from your others. The remaining two steps deal with insect control and removing the plant, and are held back.
- Name returned
- Tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus
- Top score
- 37%
- Rule that matched
- keyword virus
- Viral steps shown here
- 1 of 3
At 19 percent the app would show the same name among possibilities, with no steps.
Mistakes
- Treating a visual pattern alone as a confirmed viral diagnosis.
- Discarding a plant because of the label.
- Assuming all plant viruses have the same effect.
- Taking photos from different angles, which hides change over time.
Scope
Similar appearances can have other causes. The RHS plant viruses page listed below describes them, and the app itself notes that its result is a visual estimate from one photo, not a lab diagnosis. The ASPCA list covers pet safety.