Abstract: ：The growth and reproduction of tea geometrid, Ectropis obliqua Prout, fed on an artificial diet were studied. The results showed that the larvae grew and developed normally fed on the artificial diet. Larvae survival rate, eclosion rate and hatchability were 90.50%, 86.29% and 91.03% respectively. There were no significant difference comparing with that reared with tea tender shoots. The pupation rate of larvae those fed with the artificial diets was 85.52%, lower than those fed with tea tender shoots. Duration of larvae and generation fed with artificial diet were 20βd and 39.62βd, the duration of larvae was postponed 1.44βd and 2.41βd compared with the control. Numbers of eggs oviposited by female adults fed with artificial diets were 286.9 per female, 14.82 percent higher than those fed on tea teder shoots. Survival rate curve of larvae showed an increasing function of mortality-age, no significant difference from the curve of larvae fed on tea tender shoots. The intrinsic rate of increase (R_m) and finite rate by increase (λ) in population were 0.113 and 1.119. The larvae mean generation time (T) and double time (DT) in population fed with artificial diets prolonged 2.43 d and 0.265 d in comparison with the population fed with tea shoots. Population trend index (I) was 87.209, indicated that the population of E. obliqua fed on artificial diet showed the ascending trend.

Key words: Ectropis obliqua, artifical diet, experimental population, growth, reproduction