Abstract: Aim】 This study aims to explore the oviposition preference of Serangium japonicum to tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) varieties with different densities and types of leaf trichomes. 【Methods】 We selected four tomato varieties including Zhenmu 101, Minfenying 1, Zhenmu 301 and Yiseliechaojijingang as the host plants of S. japonicum, observed the microstructure of the abaxial leaf surface (ALS) under scanning electronic microscopy, and counted the types and densities of leaf trichomes on the ALS. We determined the proportions of eggs laid by female adults of S. japonicum on leaf discs and plants of the four tomato varieties bearing Bemisia tabaci eggs, the offspring and adult performance such as the development, fecundity and predation capability, and attachment force of S. japonicum on the leaves of the four tomato varieties, the preference of female adults of S. japonicum to the odours from healthy leaves and B. tabaci-infected leaves of the four tomato varieties, and the risk of egg cannibalism on leaf discs and plants of four tomato varieties. 【Results】There are type Ⅱ, type Ⅲ and type Ⅴ non-glandular trichomes, and type Ⅰ, type Ⅳ, type Ⅵ and type Ⅶ glandular trichomes on the ALS of four tomato varieties, and type Ⅴ trichomes have the highest density. Yiseliechaojijingang has the lowest density of leaf trichomes among the four tested tomato varieties. S. japonicum preferred to lay eggs on the tomato variety Yiseliechaojijingang. The fecundity of S. japonicum on the tomato varieties Yiseliechaojijingang, Zhenmu 101 and Minfenying 1 (165-223.92 eggs per female) was significantly higher than that on the tomato variety Zhenmu 301 (28.09 eggs per female). S. japonicum offspring had the shortest developmental duration (egg to adult duration) (15.73 d) on Minfenying 1, while had the longest developmental duration (23.00 d) on Zhenmu 101. However, the proportions of S. japonicum eggs laid on the four tomato varieties had no significant correlation with the offspring and adult performance, but were positively correlated with the risk of egg cannibalism. The proportions of S. japonicum eggs laid on the four tomato varieties had no significant correlation with the attachment force and the density of leaf trichomes on the ALS. The densities of the seven types of trichomes were significantly different among the four tomato varieties. The density of type Ⅰ glandular trichomes was negatively correlated with the fecundity (number of eggs laid per female in 30 d) of S. japonicum, but the density of the other six types of trichomes had no correlation with the offspring and adult performance of S. japonicum. The female adults of S. japonicum had no obvious preference to odours from the four tomato varieties. The proportions of eggs consumed by cannibalistic S. japonicum on leaf discs and plants of the four tomato varieties were significantly different. 【Conclusion】Female adults of S. japonicum prefer to lay eggs on leaves of tomato varieties with low density of leaf trichomes, and tomato glandular trichomes have great influence on the life activities of S. japonicum adults.

Key words: Serangium japonicum, tomato, oviposition selectivity, glandular trichome; performance