Abstract: With no-free choice means, the host plant preference of Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) was examined according to the number of stipples (oviposition and/or feeding punctures) as a preference index on 22 vegetable varieties of 16 species of 6 families in the laboratory. The results showed that the host preference for feeding and oviposition was significantly different among the hosts tested. The preference levels decreased from Leguminosae, Compositae, Cucurbitaceae, Solanaceae, Umbelliferae to Cruciferae. Kidney bean and garland chrysanthemum were the most preferred, and cabbage and tomato were the least. Chemical analysis and microscopical investigation showed that the content of tannin and flavorne in foliages and the density of leaf trichomes differed significantly among the vegetable varieties tested. The content of tannin was the highest in balsam pear, less in pea, tomato and green pepper, and the least in Cucurbita maschata var. medullosa, garland chrysanthemum, kidney bean and American celery. The content of flavone was the highest in cabbage and tomato, less in balsam pear, and the least in garland chrysanthemum, kidney bean and American celery. The density of leaf trichomes was the highest in C. maschata and Chinese cabbage, less in C. pepo, C. maschata var. medullosa and cabbage, and the lowest in green pepper, lettuce and balsam pear. The correlative analysis indicated that the host preference of L. huidobrensis was significantly negatively correlated with the content of tannin and flavone in foliages, and correlation coefficients were -0.4425 （P=0.0392）and -0.5728 （P=0.0053）, respectively, but it was not significantly correlated with the density of leaf trichomes（R＝-0.1807, P=0.4211）. These results indicated that tannin and flavorne might play an important role in restraining feeding and oviposition of the pea leafminer.

Key words: Liriomyza huidobrensis, host plants, host plant preference, oviposition, feeding, secondary plant compounds, leaf trichome