[Objectives]  To understand the effects of different host plants on the growth, development, fecundity and protective enzyme activity, of Ostrinia furnacalis. [Methods]  We studied the development, pupal stage, adult stage, eclosion rate, female fecundity and superoxide (SOD)，peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) activity of male O. furnacalis raised on 12 host-plant species from 7 families under laboratory conditions; (25±5) ℃, 75%±5% RH, photoperiod=16 L︰8 D. [Results]  O. furnacalis was able to complete growth and development on all 12 host plants. Larvae raised on Xanthium sibiricum had the shortest larval and pupal stages, 17.4 d and 5.9 d, respectively, the longest adult life span (9.0 d), and heaviest pupal weight (50.7 mg). The highest female fecundity, 210.1 eggs/female, was recorded on Brassica campestris. Larval survival and pupal eclosion rates on B. campestris and Lactuca sativa were all over 80.0%. There were significant differences in the protective enzyme activity in males that had been raised on different host-plants. Males raised on Polygonum capitatum had the highest SOD, POD and CAT activity. [Conclusion]  Different host plants had significant effects on the growth, development, female fecundity and male protective enzyme activity, of O. furnacalis. Feeding on Xanthium sibiricum and Polygonum lapathifolium was beneficial to the growth and development of O. furnacalis. The growth, development and fecundity of O. furnacalis on different host plants was positively correlated with protective enzyme activity. O. furnacalis can meet its growth and development needs by adjusting its protective enzyme activity to specific host-plants.