| The composition of artificial diet for Apolygus lucorum Meyer Dür nymphs was optimized by orthogonal design trials with 10 factors and 3 levels. The factors affecting the developmental duration of nymphs were as followed in that order: chicken eggs, brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, soy lecithin, Vanderzant vitamin mixture, egg yolk, lima bean meal, 50% honey solution, sucrose and soy flour, and the factors affecting nymphal survival were as followed in that order: chicken eggs, brewer’s yeast, lima bean meal, soy lecithin, Vanderzant vitamin mixture, soy flour, sucrose, 50% honey solution, wheat germ and egg yolk. Based on the above results, the optimized artificial diet composition for A. lucorum nymphs was sucrose 2.8 g, brewer’s yeast 0.25 g, 50% honey solution 2.5 g, chicken eggs 22.5 g, wheat germ 10 g, lima bean meal 30 g, soy flour 2.5 g, egg yolk 30 g, soy lecithin 1.5 g, Vanderzant vitamin mixture 1.2 g, and water 164 g. There were no significant differences in nymphal survival between the optimized artificial diet and green beans. However, the duration of nymphs fed with the optimized artificial diet was lengthened compared with those on green beans. |
