Association of Endothia parasitica with Mites Isolated from Cankers on American Chestnut Trees. R. Wendt, Former Graduate Student, Department of Plant Pathology and Physiology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg 24061. J. Weidhaas, Associate Professor, Department of Entomology, and G. J. Griffin, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology and Physiology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg 24061, and J. R. Elkins, Professor, Division of Natural Sciences, Concord College, Athens, WV 24712. Plant Dis. 67:757-758. Accepted for publication 2 December 1982. Copyright 1983 American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-67-757.

Cankers from American chestnut stump sprouts in Virginia and two large surviving American chestnut trees in Virginia and West Virginia were examined for the presence of mites (Acarina). All canker samples examined contained mites, many in the families Oribatidae, Belbidae and Parasitidae. Of 162 mites recovered from American chestnut stump sprout cankers and placed on acidified potato-dextrose agar, 56 (34.6%) were associated with propagules of Endothia parasitica. These results suggest that mites may disseminate E. parasitica.