How wheat transcriptome handles tolerance to wheat curl mite feeding and wheat streak mosaic virus

Wheat curl mites (WCM) are minuscule arthropod pests (<0.02 mm) that pose significant threats to wheat crops. These mites feed on the epidermal surface of wheat leaves, inducing leaf curling. Moreover, WCM can transmit viruses, such as wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV). Wheat plants have developed tolerance to WCM feeding. In this study, we employed a transcriptomic approach to elucidate the specific wheat genes involved in the tolerance response to WCM-carrying WSMV during feeding. By comparing the transcriptomes of two wheat cultivars, Hatcher (WCM-WSMV tolerant) and CO15D173R (WCM-WSMV susceptible), we identified differentially expressed genes in response to WCM infestation.