Echinomastus and Orange Rot

Trouble shoot problems you are having with your cactus.
peterb
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Echinomastus and Orange Rot

Post by peterb »

Some Echinomastus johnsonii anatomy lessons:

A large plant infected with the dreaded orange rot:
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Cut clean with no sign of rot. This large stem section will probably sit for nearly a year before I try to root it. I don't have high hopes.
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The still alive and healthy root system. Note the orange former neck of the plant, the transition from stem to root system. This seems to be where infection gets into Echinomastus the easiest.
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A healthy smaller plant unaffected by orange rot.
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I don't know for sure, but I don't think orange rot is caused by overwatering. I have been growing these guys unbelievably hard. I do wonder precisely what orange rot is and what causes it to get into the tissue of cacti.

peterb
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Peterthecactusguy
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Post by Peterthecactusguy »

the resolution isnt very good on those pics, is the orange rot a type of fungus?

I cant tell it just looks unhealthy...:(
Here's to you, all you insidious creatures of green..er I mean cacti.
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Neko Bazu
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Post by Neko Bazu »

Nearly a year before trying to root it? :shock: Is that by choice, or just an "It'll take that long to get round to it" thing?
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iann
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Post by iann »

Orange rot is probably a bacteria. At least one form of soft orange rot in cacti has been tied to a specific bacteria species but there could be more.
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*Barracuda_52*
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Post by *Barracuda_52* »

:shock: OUCHY! Thats not good, what causes this??
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peterb
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Post by peterb »

Thanks for the info Ian. Interesting that it could be a bacterium. The anatomy of an Echinomastus is interesting, how many of the plants have this very narrow neck that is woody stem tissue between the pith and the root system. This narrow zone seems the most vulnerable.

I'll probably wait until little nubs of starter roots come out on their own, which can take as long as a year for very large surface area cuttings.

peterb
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Peterthecactusguy
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Post by Peterthecactusguy »

Peterb,
interesting topic you started here.

Ian,
thanks, I was trying to get a better idea of what that orange stuff is.

One year for it to root. Thats a long time, will the cutting survive that long without water?
Here's to you, all you insidious creatures of green..er I mean cacti.
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Post by daiv »

Peter,
I wonder if it would be worth the shipping over the ocean to get some of this:

http://www.seramis.com/

Might be handy to have for these emergencies!

Daiv
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tumamoc
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Re: Echinomastus and Orange Rot

Post by tumamoc »

peterb, did you have any success getting this Echinomastus johnsonii to root?
keith
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Re: Echinomastus and Orange Rot

Post by keith »

Orange rot ! I have that problem also, I don't know were it comes from? I had it in Ca and even more so in Phoenix AZ. Sometimes I get it on the plant body and not in the root. I recently decapitated a turbinicarpus ysebelae with orange rot on the body not in the root. They seem to be rot magnets.

For me Echinomastus usually just have the roots dry up then the body dries up. intertextus which is supposed to be easier is the worst for me for some reason / Bad water ? Alkaline compost ? I don't know ?
keith
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Re: Echinomastus and Orange Rot

Post by keith »

You could graft it I suppose ?
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Saxicola
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Re: Echinomastus and Orange Rot

Post by Saxicola »

keith wrote:You could graft it I suppose ?

You are 4 years too late on that I think! But in a similar situation that might work. Graft it then eventually degraft it and put it back on its own roots.
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kuni1234567
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Re: Echinomastus and Orange Rot

Post by kuni1234567 »

I received a plant with the orange rot on the root stock and believe that it is a soil fungus that decomposes dead plant tissue. I would probably graft the plant if possible or cutoff the damaged part and try to re-root the plant. I have always found that the plant rots from the inside out and it is difficult to save the plant.
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tumamoc
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Re: Echinomastus and Orange Rot

Post by tumamoc »

While we're on the hot topic of Echinomastus (that is, 3-4 years between posts :mrgreen: ), I find that, eventually, every Echinomastus plant I have acquired or grown from seed rots in this way. Doesn't matter the species. Kind of depressing.
kuni1234567
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Re: Echinomastus and Orange Rot

Post by kuni1234567 »

I have received two E. johnsonii plants that had orange rot on the bottom of the plant. I believe that it might be some type of fungus that grows on dead plant tissue. The problem with this type of plant is the very arid location that the plant grows in. I am growing seedlings and these seedlings develop very long roots within a few days after germination. I think that this is a sign of grow as fast as possible when water is present and it is very easy to over water these plants. I have been told that the plants will survive many months without water.
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