Abstract: The effects of three diets, Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank), T. putrescentiae with apple pollen, and T. putrescentiae with maize bee pollen, on the development and reproduction of Orius minutus (Linnaeus) were investigated. The results showed that when fed on T. putrescentiae with maize bee pollen, T. putrescentiae with apple pollen and T. putrescentiae, the nymphal duration was 13.26, 13.66 and 14.44 d, respectively, significantly shorter in the treatments with additives. The survival rate of the 3rd, 4th and 5th instars fed on T. putrescentiae with maize bee pollen were 0.8593, 0.8690, 0.9052, respectively, and when fed on T. putrescentiae with apple pollen, were 0.8476, 0.8524 and 0.8846, respectively. However, when fed on T. putrescentiae only, they survived at 0.8124, 0.8153, 0.8300, respectively. Again, there were significant differences in survival rates between the nymphs fed on T. putrescentiae with additives and T. putrescentiae only. Likewise, the longevity of female and male adults fed on T. putrescentiae with maize bee pollen (female:15.97 d, male:13.9 6 d) and fed on T. putrescentiae with apple pollen (female:15.42 d, male:13.07 d) were significantly longer than that fed on T. putrescentiae only (female:13.87 d, male:11.57 d). When fed on T. putrescentiae with maize bee pollen, the pre-oviposition period (3.08 d) was significantly shorter than that fed on T. putrescentiae only (3.86 d). The fecundity, intrinsic rate of increase rm and population trend index I were 52.17 eggs, 0.0647 and 7.75, respectively, when the insects were fed on T. putrescentiae with maize bee pollen, and were 40.21 eggs, 0.0533, 5.22, respectively, when the insects were fed on T. putrescentiae only. Our results show that T. putrescentiae with maize bee pollen can be used as a diet for the mass rearing of O. minutus.

Key words: Orius minutus, Tyrophagus putrescentiae, pollen, development, reproduction, population parameters