Interactions between a spider mite and a virus revealed via effects on their host plant.

SynthesisPlants are commonly host to multiple parasites simultaneously. Interactions among parasites in coinfections can have consequences for both host and parasite fitness. We investigated reciprocal interactions between tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and a non-vector spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, in coinfections on tomato plants. We compared the number of T. urticae emerging as adults and the virus titre of two TSWV isolates (France81 and LYE1137vir) quantified by DAS-ELISA in single and coinfections. We also measured host plant traits including height, fresh weight, chlorophyll content, and the number of flowers in both single and coinfection treatments and in uninfected control plants. Plant height, weight and number of flowers were lower for France81-infected plants than for LYE1137vir-infected and uninfected plants. This strain that was more virulent also had overall higher viral loads, but there was no direct link between viral load and host traits. We found that the most virulent TSWV isolate (France81) facilitated spider mites by increasing the number of offspring per unit of plant height. In contrast, there was no effect of T. urticae on the load of either TSWV isolate. T. urticae did however reduce plant height, thus in coinfection there was an additive effect of virulence compared to singly infected plants. Although we do not find that T. urticae impacts TSWV titre in coinfection, our results do indicate that coinfection could negatively impact both isolates via effects on virulence. Coinfection with the most virulent isolate may accelerate host death due to elevated T. urticae growth on relatively smaller plants. In addition, for both viral isolates, further reductions in plant height in coinfection, may also in time lead to increased T. urticae competition for plant resources and earlier plant death. Our results indicate the importance of simultaneously exploring the life-history traits of both parasites and the host, in single and co-infections, to get a proper idea of both potential direct and indirect effects between all players. Importantly, parasite fitness may be severely reduced via indirect effects of coinfection mediated via impacts on host virulence if the host dies sooner than in single infections.