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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Hard Winter Wheat Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #228893
Title: Identification of the Wheat Curl Mite as the Vector of Triticum Mosaic Virus

Author
item SEIFERS, DALLAS - Kansas State University
item MARTIN, JOE - KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
item HARVEY, TOM - KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
item Fellers, John
item MICHAUD, J - KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2008
Publication Date: 1/1/2009
Citation: Seifers, D., Martin, J., Harvey, T., Fellers, J.P., Michaud, J.P. 2009. Identification of the Wheat Curl Mite as the Vector of Triticum Mosaic Virus. Plant Disease. 93:25-29.

Interpretive Summary: Recently a new virus was isolated in Western Kansas that overcame plant resistance to Wheat Streak Mosaic virus (WSMV), but had similar symptoms. It was given the name Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV), due to its host range and the symptoms it caused. One of the key issues in the virus life cycle is how it is transmitted from plant to plant. TriMV has been found in several parts of Kansas and the work being reported describes how the vector was identified. Tests showed that only the wheat curl mite could transmit TriMV. Also found was that TriMV would transmit poorly when it was by itself, but if WSMV was present in the same plant with TriMV, both viruses would transmit well and infection levels would be high.

Technical Abstract: Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV) is a newly discovered virus found infecting wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Kansas. This study was conducted to determine if the wheat curl mite (WCM, Aceria tosichella Keifer) and the bird cherry oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi L. ) could transmit TriMV. Using different sources of WCM and two different isolates of TriMV we were able to show the WCM is the vector of TriMV. Field analysis by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) demonstrated natural infection patterns of wheat infected with TriMV, WSMV, or both TriMV and WSMV, putatively infected by viruliferous WCM from a volunteer source growing adjacent to the wheat. Moreover, by single WCM transfers using WCM obtained from different wheat plants naturally infected with TriMV and WSMV and naturally infested with WCM, we showed that these WCM also transmitted TriMV only to wheat or transmitted both TriMV and WSMV to wheat. The infection rates of wheat infected with TriMV only using WCM transmission was low both in laboratory and field analyses. However, field analyses by ELISA showed that levels of infection of wheat by both TriMV and WSMV was high. No transmission of TriMV to wheat by R. padi occurred in our studies.