Wheat Curl Mite

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The wheat curl mite (Aceria tosichella Keifer) is the only known vector for Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV), Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV), and Wheat mosaic virus (WMoV). The wheat curl mite is an eriophyid mite which measuring only 150-250 µm in length and can only be seen with the use of a microscope, therefore management practices such as scouting are not possible. Between wheat seasons the wheat curl mite lives on reservoir hosts such as volunteer wheat and a variety of perennial and native grasses . The wheat curl mite is distributed from these areas into newly planted production fields during the fall and spring creating both vector and disease gradients throughout infected fields.

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