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EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT DIETS ON LIFE PARAMETERS AND NUTRITIONAL PROFILE OF MEALWORMS (TENEBRIO MOLITOR L) UNDER LABORATORY CONDITIONS

. Fazli Amin and Amjad Usman.


Abstract

This study was planned to investigate the effect of different diets on biological parameters and nutritional profile of Tenebrio molitor under lab condition (26 ± 1 °C, 65 ± 5% RH and 14L :10D Photoperiod) Thirteen diets were developed from four different food sources, using two crop waste (i.e. (Corn straw, rice straw), wheat bran and yeast. These four main ingredients were mixed in different ratios (w/w). A total of 780 (7 days old) mealworm larvae obtained from stock culture and reared on thirteen different experimental diets according to a completely randomized design with three replicates (n=20). Results revealed that biological parameters and nutritional profile of T. molitor were significantly affected by the tested diets. However, standard diet (wheat bran 95%+yeast 5%) followed and Diet -5 (Rice straw 40% + wheat bran 55% + Yeast 5%) appeared to be the most effective diet have maximum larval weight gain (147.14±2.29mg and125.46±2.62mg), bigger larvae (27.563±0.81mm and24.68±0.74mm) and quick larval development of 83.01±1.62days and 89.91±1.34days respectively. Similar trend was observed for the pupal and adult development. The standard diets resulted in heavier pupae and adults as compared to all other tested diets. In general, the adult reproduction was clearly favored by most of diets with higher percentage of wheat bran which was in contrast to the diets composed of only the crop residues (D-11 and D-12) on which lowest number of eggs was laid by the females. Larval survival rate ranged from 87.95- 95.81% on the selected diets. A nutritional profile of T. molitor larvae was evaluated after 60 days of feeding trial. Post-feeding nutritional proximate analysis showed significant differences in nutritional contents. T. molitor demonstrated highest moisture (11.93±0.10%) in Diet-8. On the other hand, T. molitor showed highest crude protein (57.21±0.91%) when offered Diet-13followed by Diet 5 with crude protein content of 48.33±0.60 % and higher level of fiber (13.13±0.29%) with Diet-12. Fat content was also noticed higher in the Diet-12 (34.02±0.99%) whereas ash (7.92±0.17%) and NEF (13.08±0.13%) was highest in Diet-8 and Diet-4respectively. It was concluded that standard diet (Diet-13) and Diet-5 having high amount of protein and larvae fed upon these diets resulted in better weight, length, duration and survival rate along with rich amount of protein contents. Hence for mass rearing and quality production of mealworms the above diets can be utilized. It was concluded from these results that Diet-13 and Diet-5 have remarkable effect on biological parameters and nutritional profile particularity the protein content, thus recommended for mass production of T. molitor.

Keywords: Mealworm; biological parameters; Wheat bran; rice straw; crude protein; Nitrogen Free Extract (NFE)

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