Opportunities to breed for broad mite resistance in Rhododendron simsii hybrids Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Broad mites, Polyphagotarsonemus latus Banks, are a key pest in many ornamental plants including pot azalea, Rhododendron simsii hybrid. These minute mites (<200 µm) cause browning and curling of leaves and flowers leading to economic losses as damaged plants are unmarketable. Development of resistant cultivars might lead to a sustainable solution in controlling this pest. We studied the response upon a broad mite infestation in R. simsii by ...