The mites Calacarus heveae Feres e Tenuipalpus heveae Baker are important rubber tree pests. Among the control options, the resistant genetic material use can be a good strategy. The objective of this work was to identify rubber tree progenies with possibility of to confer resistance to these species in an area of open-pollinated progenies, with confirmed genetic variability, for use in genetic improvement program. The experiments were carried out in three consecutive periods, 2002/2003, 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 with evaluation of 33 progenies. Every two months, of December to June of the next year, were collected four branches of each plant for mites counting in laboratory. The defoliation levels observed were evaluated with a note scale of 0 (without defoliation) to 4 (above 75%). Eight progenies showed non preference and/or antibiosis resistance or tolerance to at least one species and should be multiplied for new evaluations in the future.
Hevea brasiliensis; Acari; Calacarus heveae; Tenuipalpus heveae
