Eriophyoid mites found on roses in the United States

Authors: OTERO-COLINA, GABRIEL - Colegio De Postgraduados; Ochoa, Ronald - Ron; AMRINE, JAMES - West Virginia University; Hammond, John; Jordan, Ramon; Bauchan, Gary

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Horticulture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/16/2018
Publication Date: 4/8/2019
Citation: Otero-Colina, G., Ochoa, R., Amrine, J., Hammond, J., Jordan, R.L., Bauchan, G.R. 2019. Eriophyoid mites found on roses in the United States. Journal of Environmental Horticulture. 36(4):146-153.

Interpretive Summary: A small worm-like mite has been shown to carry a virus causing rose rosette disease (RRD). Studies using various microscopy techniques have been conducted on rose samples sent to us from 12 states and Washington, DC with RRD. Three distinct worm-like mites have been identified. Mites were found on enclosed vegetative buds, on leaves and inside the flower buds near the location where seeds are produced. Mites inside the flower appear to be hiding amongst dense simple and glandular hairs at the base of the buds. The mites appear to overwinter inside leaf and flower buds. Larger predatory mites associated with the small mites were also found which may be useful as biological control agents. These results are important to rose producers, breeders, growers, plant protection officers, entomologists, biologists and agriculture scientists in the government, at universities, and at private universities who are interested in solving rose rosette disease problems.

Technical Abstract: The eriophyoid mite Phyllocoptes fructiphilus has been shown to be the vector for an Emaravirus, Rose rosette virus (RRV), the causal agent of rose rosette disease (RRD). Studies are being conducted of mites on roses using various microscopy techniques including wide field, phase contrast, differential interference contrast light microscopy, table top scanning electron microscopy and low temperature scanning electron microscopy to identify eriophyoid mite species associated with Rosa spp., to determine their distribution and to characterize mite-host associations. Our surveys on roses from several states within the United States indicate the presence of three species of eriophyid mites including Phyllocoptes fructiphilus, Eriophyes eremus, and Callyntrotus schlechtendali. Phyllocoptes fructiphilus was found primarily under the petioles (stipules), inside the flower sepals appressed to the ovary/seeds and on open leaves during the growing season. This species was collected on plants with or without symptoms of RRD. This mite often hides amongst dense simple and bulbous, glandular hairs (trichomes) or under stipules/petioles. Eriophyes eremus has been found under the stipules and is now recorded for the first time on the American continent. Callyntrotus schlechtendali was found on the open leaf surface. The latter two species were not associated to obvious plant injury. In addition, predatory mites were found associated with these mites which may be useful as biological control agents of the eriophyid mites.