FERTILITY LIFE TABLE OF BREVIPALPUS PHOENICIS (GEIJSKES, 1939) (ACARI: TENUIPALPIDAE) ON DIFFERENT COFFEE CUTIVARS (COFFEA SPP.)

ABSTRACT This work was carried out aiming at constructing a fertility life table for the coffee ringspot mite, Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes) (Acari: Tenuipalpidae), reared on the leaves of four coffee cultivars (Icatu Vermelho, Apoatã, Obatã and Mundo Novo), kept in climatic chambers at 25 ± 1º C, relative humidity of 70 ± 10% and photophase of 14 hours. Females of B. phoenicis were placed on the leaf surfaces (arenas), for a period of 24 hours for oviposition. After this period, the females and the excess eggs were removed, leaving only one egg of B. phoencis on each arena. The arenas were examined daily, evaluating the mite survival and the number of eggs laid. Fertility life table was prepared using the data obtained. B. phoenicis mites presented significant differences in survivorship and population growth rates, when reared on different coffee cultivars. The most favorable cultivars for the multiplication of B. phoenicis were, in this sequence: Apoatã, Mundo Novo and Obatã, based on the finite rates of increase. Icatu Vermelho proved to be the least favorable cultivar for the multiplication of B. phoenicis.