REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF ORIUS-INSIDIOSUS IN A BLUE LIGHT-SUPPLEMENTED SHORT PHOTOPERIOD

An important limitation in using the insidious flower bug, Orius insid iosus (Say) (Hemiptera:Anthocoridae), as a biological control agent in north temperate winter greenhouse crop production is its tendency to enter reproductive diapause during short photoperiods. Laboratory expe riments assessed the effect of a blue light-supplemented short photope riod over a range of temperature regimes on female reproductive diapau se induction, nymph development and survival, ovarian maturation perio d, and oviposition of O. insidiosus. In experiment one, all O. insidio sus Life stages were exposed to a broad-spectrum photoperiod of 15:9 ( L:D) h, a blue light-supplemented photoperiod of 9:15 (L:D) h, consist ing of 9 h broad-spectrum light followed by 6 h blue light, or a broad -spectrum photoperiod of 9:15 (L:D) h, all at 24 +/- 1 degrees C. Appr oximately 75% of mated females reproduced in the broad-spectrum long p hotoperiod and the blue light-supplemented short photoperiod regimes, whereas over 50% of the bugs diapaused in the broad-spectrum short pho toperiod regime. There was no difference among the light treatments fo r all other measured responses. In experiment two, all O. insidiosus l ife stages were exposed to the blue light-supplemented short photoperi od over a range of temperature regimes (19-28 degrees C). At least 90% of mated females reproduced at each temperature. A linear relationshi p occurred for temperature and nymph development and for temperature a nd ovarian maturation period. The oviposition rate was similar at 22 d egrees, 25 degrees, and 28 degrees C. This study indicates the potenti al for using supplemental blue light to enhance O. insidiosus reproduc tion in a short photoperiod and may be important as a biological contr ol strategy in winter greenhouse production systems. (C) 1997 Academic Press.