REPLY: [pbs] Narcissus 'Quince'
DaveKarn@aol.com (Wed, 14 Apr 2004 06:21:15 PDT)

In a message dated 13-Apr-04 4:44:40 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
totototo@pacificcoast.net writes:

All daffodils in commerce are infected with one, or more, of the viruses
known to infect the genus Narcissus. For most people, this is irrelevant, whether
in a garden setting or forced for Winter bloom. For others, however, concern
ranges from "some" to anathema! See THE DAFFODIL JOURNAL, March 2004, for an
article on the incidence of virus in the genus Narcissus.

Often, as in the case of the virused 'Quince' Rodger mentioned, the infection
can be severe. And, as with all viruses, there is no cure and the best thing
to do is dump the bulbs into the trash. The narcissus yellow stripe virus is
a potyvirus and, as such, the most virulent type and one easily spread by
mechanical means, e.g., cutting a daffodil stem or bulb with a knife not
sterilized between cuts, etc. Meristem culture has, on occasion, been employed to
"clean-up" some of the older clones hopelessly infected. It has been done for
economic reasons, e.g., the clone Grand Soleil d'Or long grown for "cut" flowers
in England is one such. 'Tete-a-Tete' and 'Jumblie' or 'Quince' might also
be good candidates for the process. These three daffodils, particularly the
former, make really fine pot plants and millions are grown for that purpose each
year. While I would dearly love to make a cross similar to the one that
produced these three daffodils, the parent plant, 'Cyclataz,' is impossible to
find.

Dave Karnstedt
Silverton, Oregon, USA
Cool Mediterranean climate; USDA Zone 7-8