Wheat curl mite, Aceria tosichella, and transmitted viruses: an expanding pest complex affecting cereal crops

Abstract

The wheat curl mite (WCM), Aceria tosichella, and the plant viruses it transmits represent an invasive mite-virus complex that has affected cereal crops worldwide. The main damage caused by WCM comes from its ability to transmit and spread multiple damaging viruses to cereal crops, with Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) and Wheat mosaic virus (WMoV) being the most important. Although WCM and transmitted viruses have been of concern to cereal growers and researchers for at least six decades, they continue to represent a challenge. In older affected areas, for example in North America, this mite-virus complex still has significant economic impact. In Australia and South America, where this problem has only emerged in the last decade, it represents a new threat to winter cereal production. The difficulties encountered in making progress towards managing WCM and its transmitted viruses stem from the complexity of the pathosystem. The most effective methods for minimizing losses from WCM transmitted viruses in cereal crops have previously focused on cultural and plant resistance methods. This paper brings together information on biological and ecological aspects of WCM, including its taxonomic status, occurrence, host plant range, damage symptoms and economic impact. Information about the main viruses transmitted by WCM is also included and the epidemiological relationships involved in this vectored complex of viruses are also addressed. Management strategies that have been directed at this mite-virus complex are presented, including plant resistance, its history, difficulties and advances. Current research perspectives to address this invasive mite-virus complex and minimize cereal crop losses worldwide are also discussed.

Integrating ecology and genetics to address Acari invasions

“…data), on human travelers, or by taking advantage of past and present military conflicts, using the movement of the war logistical resources to extend their range to other countries and continents (Lockwood 2009;Canyon et al 2011;Pimentel 2011;Chevillon et al 2012). The economic or medical importance of the Acari increases with their ability to vector viruses, rickettsiae, spirochaetes, phytoplasmas, mycoplasmas and protozoas, or to harbor and transport nematodes, bacteria and fungi pathogens that affect plants, domestic and wild animals and humans (Jongejan and Uilenberg 2004;Mullen and OConnor 2009;Nicholson et al 2009;Bastianel et al 2010;Navajas et al 2010;Navia et al 2010Navia et al , 2012aRodrigues and Childers 2012).…”

“…data). Another group of fast-moving, adventive mites are species in the superfamily Eriophyoidea (Navia et al 2010(Navia et al , 2012a. The number of described species of eriophyoid mites is also quickly growing, which will certainly lead to an increase in the number of invasive species.…”

Introgression of chromosome segments from multiple alien species in wheat breeding lines with wheat streak mosaic virus resistance

“…Significant yield losses are associated with WSMV infections (Graybosch et al, 2009) and at least three additional viruses have been reported as being transmitted by the WCM vector (Navia et al, 2013). There is huge interest in deploying multiple effective genes in combination as a means of disease control and improving the durability of resistance (Liu et al, 2011;Heslop-Harrison and Schwarzacher, 2012).…”

Interception of Wheat mosaic virus (WMoV) in Brazil in maize seeds from the United States

“…WMoV is transmitted by the eriophyid wheat curl mite Aceria tosichella Keifer (Seifers et al, 1997), which is also the vector for Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV, genus Rymovirus, family Potyviridae) (Navia et al, 2013). WSMV and WMoV are often found in mixed infection (Skare et al, 2006;Navia et al, 2013).…”

“…WMoV is transmitted by the eriophyid wheat curl mite Aceria tosichella Keifer (Seifers et al, 1997), which is also the vector for Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV, genus Rymovirus, family Potyviridae) (Navia et al, 2013). WSMV and WMoV are often found in mixed infection (Skare et al, 2006;Navia et al, 2013). Until now, there is no report of WMoV in Brazil; however, the recent detection of the pathosystem Aceria tosichella/WSMV in the country (Mar et al, 2013) has alerted to the threat represented by WMoV introduction.…”