The occurrence and distribution of Tuckerella japonica (Acari: Tuckerellidae) on tea bushes, Camellia sinensis and C. assamica, in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, USA

Abstract

Adults, immatures and eggs of Tuckerella japonica (Ehara) were collected from unknown clones or varieties of Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze tea bushes in the Clemson University Farm, Coastal Research and Education Center, Charleston, South Carolina; from Assam hybrids in The Caw Caw Nature Preserve in Ravenel, SC; from C. sinensis and C. assamica (Masters) in the Charleston Tea Plantation on Wadmalaw Island, SC; C. sinensis in the Fairhope Tea Plantation in Fairhope, Alabama; and from C. sinensis ‘Rosea’ and a C. sinensis and C. assamica hybrid in Savannah and Ellabell, Georgia, between 1994 and 2015. This mite was consistently collected from 1-, 2- and 3+-year-old wood of tea plants with significantly greater numbers collected from 2-year-old wood. All stages of the mite were found within longitudinally split areas of the wood where underlying green bark tissues were exposed. As 1-year-old wood matured, there was increased splitting of the bark with increased mite presence. Mature green fruit (= developing seed pods) of tea were also frequented by T. japonica between June–July and October and their numbers were no greater than those on 1- or 3+-year wood. When the fruit were small (March–May) or as they hardened in late fall, they were not suitable feeding sites for this mite. Very few T. japonica were collected from 50 mature, inner or outer leaf samples with none usually found. Tuckerella japonica has multiple, overlapping generations and occurs on tea throughout the year in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, USA.

Cellular injury to 1- to 3+-year-old stems of Camellia sinensis by Tuckerella japonica

“…The locations of these punctures were in green periderm tissues exposed by longitudinally split bark on 1- to 3+-year-old woody stems. As 1-year-old stems increased in size, there was increased longitudinal splitting of the periderm with 2-year-old stems having the most bark splitting (Bond 1942 ; Childers et al 2016 ). Stylet lengths and diameters are presented in Table 1 .…”

“…Tuckerella japonica has been observed feeding on exposed green periderm tissues in the crevasses created by splitting bark on 1- to 3+-year-old woody stems of tea [ Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] (Childers et al 2016 ). With the descriptions of typical injury and recovery patterns caused by the above groups of mites in mind, this study was designed to examine the crevasses in which T. japonica was found to define the type of injuries to underlying tissues.…”

External morphology of the mouthparts and observations on behavior of Tuckerella japonica on Camellia sinensis in the continental USA

“…Areas of bark splitting on C. sinensis stems were shown to be the preferred habitat of T. japonica infesting C. sinensis bushes (Childers et al 2016 ). Collyer ( 1969 ) reported Tuckerella flabellifera Miller favored rough areas and wounds on young wood and branches of its host plants with oviposition also observed at these locations.…”

“…Childers et al ( 2016 ) found T. japonica on the green periderm tissue that becomes exposed when the bark splits on stems of C. sinensis . Plants produced from both seed or unknown tea cultivars were included in the study.…”

“…Significantly greater numbers of T. japonica were found on the periderm of 2-year-old stems versus 1- or 3+-year-old stems and were rarely found on leaves. Mites fed on the periderm and underlying cortical tissues as well as on maturing green seed pods of the tea plants (Childers et al 2016 ; Achor et al 2017 ). No studies show how and where tuckerellid species feed on their respective host plants.…”