Sorry no references, and no time to try to dig any up. Yes, I am
speaking of TMV or any other plant virus that might be present. As I
recall, TMV has a fairly broad host range. I have no info as to whether
CP are included in that group. I seriously doubt this has been
investigated since CP are not generally a major cash crop. I would say,
in general, it is not advisable to apply an extract made from plants to
any other plant because the possibility of introducing a virus always
exists.
> The FDA may have information on this (don't think so). It _would_ seem
> asinine to release millions of tonnes infectious tobacco products,
> commercially, all over the world without some restrictions regarding CPs,
> not to mention commercial and seasonal ornamental crops which generate a
> real cash flow. I can see the guide in Borneo flipping his Yankee made
> Camel into a stand of Nepenthes and the resulting depredation. Next the
> village yams browning down.
I doubt the FDA would have done any studies in this area; it's
not their domain. Perhaps the Dept of Agriculture. As for releasing
millions of tons of infectious tobacco products, two thoughts come to
mind. Tobacco has been in use since long before any regulatory agencies
existed. Second, the product is intended to be burned, not made into an
emulsion for use as a pesticide. It is unlikely the Borneo guide's
flipping a Camel into the brush is going to result in an infection. The
amount of virus applied directly to the leaf surface of adjacent plants
is likely to be substantially less (probably zero) than if one prepares an
emulsion from tobacco leaves and sprays that onto a plant.
>
> Forgive me, Wayne, if I seem flippant, please, but why do think that a
> virus that may infect one plant will infect another dissimilar? Why has it
> not already happened? Why do you think that it can survive the process of
> becoming, essentially, a manufactured product? If in your opinion it can
> happen, why not give this warning to the tomato growers? Tomato pickers do
> not smoke? A nicotine infusion is just wet baccy drippings. You see them
> everywhere.
Yes, the tone of your response seems very flippant. I've answered
most of this section above. There is a very large difference between
smoking a cigarette and throwing the remainder away and spraying an
emulsion directly onto the surface of a plant. I am not particularly
familiar with cigarette manufacture process, but my understanding is that
tobacco is harvested, dried, chopped and additives applied to make it
burn longer, etc. There is no treatment of tobacco that I'm aware of to
inactive viruses in the preparation of cigarettes.
>
> A virus that would cause harm to your CPs would be more likely to be
> transmitted by your handling of CPs (it could be picked up from an already
> infected plant, or soil, and most likely be specific to particular types)
> than from growing them in a field of tobacco. IMHO.
This is probably true. It is generally wise to sterilize and
cutting tool before cutting a plant. Otherwise you run the risk of
transferring viruses. This is a topic of frequent discussion among orchid
growers, where a number of viruses have been identified and are spread
by using the same cutting tool without sterilization.
>
> Any worries you have about latent "bugs" in a nicotine infusion may be
> settled by mixing a tsp of chlorine bleach to a liter of the infusion. Let
> it stand in an open container for 24 hours, at least, before using. After
> immediate use, throw it out. Nicotine biodegrades quickly, especially in
> sunlight. Pure nicotine is toxic. One drop is enough to kill a large
> elephant. I would not be overly concerned about a pandemic virus latent in
> the described concoction.
>
True, treatment with bleach would kill any virus present, but why
bother. I don't know what treatment with bleach would do to the
effectiveness of your pesticide soup. There are effective pesticides
commercially available. It may well be that there are no viruses found in
tobacco that can infect any of the CP, but why take the chance?
Wayne Forrester