I am thinking about collecting some OP hips from a rose (not in my garden – I would have destroyed it) which shows some canes clearly infected with rosa rosette disease (I think that is how it is spelled!) Is that safe or will the seedlings be infected too?
Joseph
Joseph,
In a November 23, 2002 article entitled, “Rose rosette disease tough to fight, so look for warning signs”, Sandy Feather from Penn State Cooperative Extension wrote that the disease is systemic and has been found in all parts of infested plants except for the seeds. Hope this helps.
Bob
Re possible transmission of RRD: there is a similar virus called High Plains Virus (HPV) that is a problem in the midwest (think of death of a corn crop worth millions). (HPV is structurally similar and also Eriophyid mite transmitted, but a different mite than RRD.)
A published study of corn from an infected field proved seed transmission of that virus for three of 24,000 grains of corn and a possible three or four additional grains. (They do have HPV isolated and there are ELISA test for it as well as graft transmission tests.)
My own feeling is to go for it, but keep the seedlings free of mites until you can tell that they are growing healthy.