The effectiveness of different artificial diets for rearing Cryptophlebia ombrodelta (Lower) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Author of the article:ZHAO Zhi-Gang1** WANG Chen-Bin2 WANG Huan1 WANG Chun-Sheng1 GUO Jun-Jie1

Author's Workplace：1. Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, CAF, Guangzhou 510520, China; 2. Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of People’s Republic of China, Nanjing 210042, China

Key Words： Cryptophlebia ombrodelta Lower; artificial diets; Erythrophleum fordii Oliver; rearing effect

Abstract：[Objectives]  Cryptophlebia ombrodelta (Lower) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is the main shoot borer of Erythrophleum fordii Oliver (Caesalpiniaceae), which a rare tree species. Artificial diets were manufactured to improve the artificial rearing of this pest and thereby facilitate biological and ecological research to develop more effective methods for its prevention and control. [Methods]  Based on the nutritional composition of branches or leaves of E. fordii, the preferred host plant of C. ombrodelta, either branches or leaves of E. fordii were added to five specially formulated artificial diets and the effectiveness of rearing C. ombrodelta on each of these diets was measured and compared. [Results]  C. ombrodelta completed an entire generation on all five artificial diets. Larvae fed on the five artificial diets differed significantly (P<0.05) in the duration of the larval period, survival rate, pupation rate, pupal weights, eclosion rate, adult longevity and fecundity, but not in the duration of the pupal period (P>0.05). Correlation analysis indicates that a shorter larval duration was more favorable for the development of subsequent stages, increased survival rate and fecundity, and shortened the duration of the whole generation. Artificial diets to which E. fordii branches were added were superior than those to which leaves were added, and those to which tomato juice were added were better than those to which lychee juice were added. The optimal artificial diet, Diet II with added E. fordii branches or tomato juice, significantly (P<0.01) improved the survival rate and fecundity of C. ombrodelta by 107.58% and 27.21%, 48.26% and 15.88% respectively, compared with Diet III to which E. fordii leaves and litchi juice were added, and Diet V to which only litchi juice was added. [Conclusion]  The rearing of C. ombrodelta can be improved by adding E. fordii branches to artificial diets. These results facilitate the rearing of C. ombrodelta for biological and ecological research.