Abstract: 【Aim】 Thrips tabaci is a significant pest on Allium crops and causes damage across all provinces (autonomous regions or municipalities) in China. Its host range encompasses dozens of crops, including welsh onion Allium fistulosum, garlic, tomato, potato, cucurbits, legumes, Brassicaceae vegetables, as well as tobacco and cotton. However, research on its biological characteristics across different host plants remains limited. In this study, we constructed the age-stage, two-sex life table of T. tabaci on three host plants (A. fistulosum leaves, A. tuberosum leaves and Phaseolus vulgaris pods) to investigate the growth, development and reproductive characteristics of T. tabaci on these plants, thereby grasping its biological characteristics and providing a basis for indoor population rearing and scientific control.【Methods】 Under the controlled laboratory conditions of temperature (25±0.5) ℃, relative humidity 55%±5% and photoperiod 16L∶8D, an age-stage, two-sex life table was constructed to study the effects of A. fistulosum leaves, A. tuberosum leaves and Phaseolus vulgaris pods on the population of T. tabaci. The parameters such as developmental duration, total pre-oviposition period, number of eggs laid per female， life expectancy and reproductive value were calculated by using the TWOSEX-MSChart program, and the population trend was predicted by using the TIMING-MSChart program.【Results】 The immature period (14.71 d), adult longevity (15.80 d) and average generation time T (26.34 d) of T. tabaci fed on P. vulgaris pods were significantly longer than those fed on A. fistulosum leaves (13.93, 11.11 and 23.45 d, respectively), and those fed on A. tuberosum leaves (13.90, 10.80 and 23.01 d, respectively). The net reproductive rate R₀(11.08), intrinsic rate of increase r(0.0913 d^-1), and finite rate of increase λ(1.09 d^-1) of T. tabaci fed on P. vulgaris pods were significantly higher than those fed on A. fistulosum leaves (4.32, 0.0624 d^-1and 1.06 d^-1, respectively), and those fed on A. tuberosum leaves (4.28, 0.0632 d^-1 and 1.06 d^-1, respectively), but those fed on A. fistulosum leaves and A. tuberosum leaves showed no significant difference. 【Conclusion】 Reared indoors, T. tabaci can complete its life cycle on A. fistulosum leaves, A. tuberosum leaves and P. vulgaris pods. T. tabaci that feeds on P. vulgaris pods has a longer immature period than that feeds on the other two host plants, but has the highest fecundity and the strongest population reproductive capacity, making P. vulgaris more conducive to its population growth. This study provides a theoretical basis for predicting T. tabaci populations and implementing field control measures.

Key words: Thrips tabaci, host plants, growth and development, fecundity, two-sex life table