IDENTIFICATION OF THE WHEAT CURL MITE AS THE VECTOR OF THE HIGH-PLAINS VIRUS OF CORN AND WHEAT

Wheat with virus-like symptoms (extracts containing a 33-kDa protein i n sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, negative in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to wheat streak mosaic virus, and not infectious in a backassay to other wheat) reacted positively to a ntiserum made against a protein purified from symptomatic corn infecte d with the High Plains virus (HPV), indicating a serological relations hip between the corn and wheat pathogens. The wheat curl mite (WCM, Ac eria tosichella Keifer) was identified as the vector of the virus and caused persistent infection of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) in greenhouse experiments. The HPV was, recovere d in the field from naturally infected wheat where the number of HPV-i nfected plants decreased with increasing distance from the WCM source in volunteer wheat.