The wheat curl mite is a major pest of wheat because it vectors viruses that cause two important diseases, wheat streak mosaic and High Plains disease. In addition nonviruliferous mites reduced yields by 9 to 30% when high mite populations infested the spikes. Resistance to the wheat curl mite reduced the incidence of wheat streak mosaic in both field and greenhouse tests, but the effect of resistance in reducing yield losses due to wheat curl mites in the absence of the vectored viruses is unknown. Therefore we compared effects of infestations of nonviruliferous wheat curl mites infesting spikes of the resistant line KS96WGRC40 with the susceptible cultivar Ike. The resistant line proved highly effective in reducing wheat curl mite populations and preventing yield losses. Since KS96WGRC40 is resistant to all known strains of wheat curl mites it should be a good germplasm source for use in wheat breeding programs.
Species 1: Acari Eriophyidae Aceria tosichella (wheat curl mite)
Keywords: wheat yield, resistance of KS96WGRC40
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