ERIOPHYID SPIDER MITES ON SOUTHERN HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRIES
Dr. Phil Brannen, University of Georgia Extension pathologist, reports, “We are finding significant populations of these eriophyid mites (same as found in Florida by Dr. Phil Harmon) with newly developed necrotic ring blotch (funky spot) symptoms in southern highbush blueberries. These mites are suspected to be vectors, but we are nowhere close to knowing this for sure. Therefore, we can’t make too much of it, but it would be interesting to see whether the virus is confirmed in the mites through PCR. I am pretty sure that the physiological leaf spots or oedema we have observed for years would often have been caused by mites, as we clearly observe these same symptoms on newly developed leaves with heavy mite populations. I can only see these mites through use of a dissecting microscope, and though I can find spider mites with a hand lens, these eriophyid mites are too small for my vision to pick them up.”
Eriophyid mites under a dissecting microscope
