• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.57-64
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• 2018

The fungus gnat, Bradysia difformis, has been recognized as an important pest of greenhouse crops. There is a need for research on the control of the fungus gnat. However, it is difficult to obtain many generations of the fungus gnat for several kinds of research. Indoor propagation is a very useful method for obtaining enough individuals in cases where the need is for larvae in soil. This study was conducted to determine the optimum growing media and temperature conditions for rearing the fungus gnat in the laboratory. Under experimental temperature conditions, hatching, pupation, and eclosion rates were the highest at $20^{\circ}C$. The developmental period of the fungus gnat was shortened with higher temperatures. The greatest number of eggs was an average of 144 at $20^{\circ}C$. Using different types of larvae growth media, the highest hatching rates were 84.7 and 84.4% in water agar and potato disks, respectively. The larval period was the shortest, at 14.7 days, when grown on potato disks. The highest pupation and eclosion rates were 85.2 and 82.6% on potato disks, respectively. The highest number of eggs was an average of 125.6 on potato disks. Regarding the effects of different growth media on the eclosion rate of B. difformis, the highest eclosion rate was 88.4% on the soil mix, and was 50% on oatmeal, 25% on shredded potato. The results of four different inoculation levels of larvae on eclosion rate of B. difformis showed that the highest eclosion rate was 84.7% for 1,000 larvae. The eclosion rate was shortened with a higher number of larvae inoculated/cage. In the growth medium used, 3,000 eggs were better for the initial level of inoculation, showing a relatively high emergence rate and short developmental period. Mass rearing procedures were explained in detail.