Abstract: To develop a control technology for the western flower thrip by the combined application of Beauveria bassiana and food lures, we evaluated the effects of food lure on the germination rate of B. bassiana conidia. In the greenhouse, the effect of distance between food lure and fungi inoculation device on the germination of B. bassiana conidia, the lures’ capacity to capture thrips and the infection of thrips outside the device were examined. The results showed that with increasing distance between the conidia and the food lure, the germination rate increased significantly. There was no significant difference in conidia germination rate when the food lure was 20 cm away from the conidia in comparison with the control. In the greenhouse, when the lure was placed in the device, the germination rate of conidia was 23.4%, significantly lower than the control (56.3%) and those when the lure was placed at a distance of 0 cm (42.9%), 10 cm (43.9%) and 20 cm (46.5%) from the device, respectively. When the lure was placed in a distance of 0 cm from the inoculation device, the thrip capture was the highest; and when lure was placed into device, the thrip capture was the lowest. When the lure was placed at a distance of 10 cm from the inoculation device, the number of conidia carried by thrips on plants around the device was the highest, significantly higher than other treatments. Meanwhile, the number of conidia carried by the thrips onto plants around the devices increased with time. The combined application of B. bassiana and food lures can establish an “attract-infect-transmit” system, which helps the development of new management technology for the western flower thrip.

Key words: Beauveria bassiana, food lure, western flower thrips