Changes in leaves of susceptible and resistant Solanum dulcamara infested by the gall mite Eriophyes cladophthirus (Acarina, Eriophyoidea)

Abstract

Eriophyes cladophthirus perforates the wall of epidermis cells during feeding on young susceptible leaves and provokes the formation of cone-shaped feeding punctures. Callose is detected near the puncture after 20 min and the injured cells are transformed into nutritive cells. Nutritive cells are induced near the feeding sites on susceptible plants, whereas only necrotic cells appear near feeding sites on resistant plants.Mites feeding on resistant plants rapidly initiate a hypersensitive response detectable after 10 min on injured epidermal cells which then leads to severe necrosis of surrounding tissues after 1 h. No typical feeding punctures or callose deposits appear on injured cell walls. Polyphenolic compounds are detected in the necrotic region after 4 h.