D3136: Wheat curl mite adaptation to different resistance genes in winter wheat

Wheat is one of the most crucial crops worldwide, contributing significantly to the human food source. Wheat curl mite (WCM) (Aceria tosichella Keifer) is a major pest of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), being the only known vector of four damaging plant viruses, Wheat streak mosaic virus, Triticum mosaic virus, High Plains wheat mosaic virus, and Brome streak mosaic virus. Additionally, non-viruliferous WCM infestations could reduce grain yield up to 17%. Management of this wheat-mite-virus complex has been mostly through cultural practices to reduce mite build up in volunteer wheat, thus reducing virus transmission and spread. Similar results potentially can be achieved and improved through host plant resistance (HPR) to both WCM and viruses. To date, four different curl mite colonization (Cmc) genes have been identified, chronologically Cmc3, Cmc1, Cmc2, and Cmc4. However, WCM is a cryptic species complex, resulting in great variability in WCM responses to resistance genes in winter wheat. The study was designed to determine the selection and adaptation of WCM populations to different resistance genes, as potential indicators of the stability of WCM-resistance genes.