The interaction of grape erineum mite (GEM), Colomerus vitis Pagenstecher (Acari: Eriophyidae), with grape was investigated in the laboratory. We studied some plant morphological biochemical features potentially related to vine resistance/tolerance of eight native grapevine cultivars, extensively cultivated in western Iran, and two non-native cultivars. Free-choice experiments indicated that the cultivars Shahani, Flame seedless and Yaghuti were colonized by lower levels of GEM, whereas Muscat Gordo, Gazne and White Thompson seedless hosted denser populations. These differences between cultivars may be due to differential attractiveness to GEM, possibly associated with plant biochemical and morphological traits. In no-choice assays with six grapevine cultivars, mite population development and some cultivar features were assessed. Mite populations grew fastest on Gazne and Muscat Gordo, and slowest on Yaghuti and Shahani. The degree of mite infestation was associated with reduction of leaf area, increase of leaf weight, shortening of shoots and more numerous erinea: these features were larger on the most infested Gazne, whereas morphological features of Shahani and Yaghuti were scarcely affected by GEM infestation. Also trichome type and density of the assayed cultivars appeared to be related to mite density: the most infested cultivars (Gazne and Muscat Gordo) displayed higher ranks of blade and vein hairs and lower ranks of blade and vein bristles and domatia. No correlation was found between mite density and leaf thickness of mature leaves. The amount of leaf waxes was highest in Shahani and Yaghuti, which displayed the lowest mite density, the fewest erinea and the largest leaves. Carbohydrate amount of uninfested leaves was lowest on the least infested Shahani and highest on the most infested Gazne; phenols increased in leaves of Shahani and decreased in those of Gazne after mite infestation. Finally, cultivars also appeared to influence some morphological traits of the mites: larger specimens were detected on White Thompson seedless, Flame seedless and Gazne, whereas smaller mites were found on leaves of the less infested Yaghuti and Shahani. These results indicate that leaf hairiness, leaf wax and carbohydrate contents may be useful tools for a preliminary screening among vine cultivars and help predict resistance/tolerance to GEM. Shahani and Yaghuti seem quite promising for developing grape resistance programs against GEM in western Iran.
