A practical artificial diet for the diamondback moth

A new artificial diet for the diamondback moth,Plutella Xylostella (L), had been selected out successfully. The diet contained the following constituents: soybean powder, wheat germ, wheat bran powder, brewer's yeast and other constituents. So far, the diamondback moth had been reared on this artificial diet for 25 generations and still mantained its normal biological characteristics. Under 25±1 C and 60%–75%RH with 12 h PH, the results of rearing the diamondback moth on the diet as follows: egg hatch, 81.3%–94.7%; survival from eggs to pupae, 55.0%–76.7%; pupal survival, 79.7%–100%; adult emergence, 80%–100%; fecundity 94.7–144. 4 eggs/♀; pupal weight, 90.4–110.8 mg/20 pupae; average days to adult: ♀, 10.2; ♂ 13.1. The diet is not only simpler on the constituents but also have better rearing results and more rearing generations. Li Guanghong: born in June 1965, Ph.D. graduate student. Current research interest is in entomo logical physiology Supported by the State Eighth Five-Year-Plan