The study was conducted to evaluate the Tetranichus urticae development and reproduction in commercial Carica papaya cultivars. The assayed cultivars belongs to the "Formosa" ("Tainung 01" and "Calimosa") and from the "Solo" ("Golden" and "Sunrise") groups. A fertilized female was transferred to a leaf dish (n=50 repetitions) and was removed after a period of 12 hours and evaluations were done every 12 hours recording the incubation period, length of immature stage, longevity and fecundity of adults and viability of these stages. The cultivars of papaya, "Tainung 01", "Calimosa", "Sunrise" and "Golden" are adequate hosts for T. urticae. The recorded viability above 90% was not influenced by the different cultivars during all the development phases. There was not statistic difference among the cultivars in the parameters: pre-ovopositional period, and egg viability. Mites assayed in "Tainung 01" cultivar showed a shorter duration of the egg, larva, protonymph and egg-adult. At life table parameters and fertility, presented smaller Ro, r m and λ, and larger Td. "Sunrise" is the cultivar most adequate for T. urticae development, considering that mites assayed in this cultivar showed a larger production of eggs per female, longer female longevity, and higher reproduction rate (larger Ro, r m and λ and smaller Td).
phytosanity; two-spotted spider mite; Carica papaya
