Role Of An Eriophyid Mite Aceria Cajani (Acari: Eriophyidae) In Transmission And Spread Of Sterility Mosaic Of Pigeonpea

Sterility mosaic (SM) is one of the most important diseases of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) in India causing an annual loss of 205,000 tonnes of grain, especially in the states of Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh (Kannaiyan el ai, 1984). The disease is presumed to be caused by a virus, although the causal agent is yet to be determined (Capoor, 1952). Selh (1962) and Nene (1972) reported that the eriophyid mite, Acer/a cajant ChannaBasavanna could transmit SM. However, in spite of the lack of evidence of the viral nature of this pathogen and its association with the diseased plants, mite toxaemia could be the possible cause of SM (Slykhuis, 1980). There is also no information on the nature and extent of spread of the disease under field conditions and the relationship between the mite vector and SM pathogen. In this paper, results of the studies on the possibility of a mite-transmitted pathogen being the cause of SM, relationship between the mile vector and SM pathogen, and spread of the disease and the mite vector under field conditions are reported