Occurrence of the phytophagous mite Catarhinus tricholaenae Keifer em cultivares de milho Bt

The objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of "microacaro-da-face-inferior-das-folhas-de-milho" Catarhinus tricholaenae Keifer (Acari: Diptilomiopidae) on transgenic cultivars of corn containing proteins Cry1F and Cry 1 A (b) and non-Bt corn. During the period from June 2010 to January 2011 were collected, every two weeks, five random samples of four leaves in plots of Bt corn containing the protein Cry 1F and Cry 1 A (b) and non-Bt corn in the experimental area of Embrapa Corn and Sorghum, Sete Lagoas, MG. The leaf samples were examined for 15 minutes in the central region of leaf in search of adult C. tricholaenae. We recorded 2930 individuals of C. tricholaenae, 1114 on Bt Cry 1F, 752 on Cry 1 A (b) and 1063 individuals on leaves of non-Bt cultivars. The highest average population abundances occurred in the months of November and December. Factors of plant phenological stage and rainfall positively affected the abundance of C. tricholaenae. The average abundance of the collection period of C. tricholaenae was reduced by cultivar corn containing Cry 1 A (b) protein. This is the first report of mites on the cultivars of transgenic corn in Brazil.