The Effect of Rearing Scale and Density on the Growth and Nutrient Composition of Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) Larvae

Wael Yakti, Simon Schulz, Virginia Marten, Inga Mewis, Murali Padmanabha, Arne-Jens Hempel, Alexander Kobelski, Stefan Streif and Christian Ulrichs
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Wael Yakti: Thaer-Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Division Urban Plant Ecophysiology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Simon Schulz: IGB Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), 12587 Berlin, Germany
Virginia Marten: Thaer-Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Division Urban Plant Ecophysiology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Inga Mewis: Thaer-Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Division Urban Plant Ecophysiology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Murali Padmanabha: Automatic Control and System Dynamics Lab, Technische Universität Chemnitz, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany
Arne-Jens Hempel: Automatic Control and System Dynamics Lab, Technische Universität Chemnitz, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany
Alexander Kobelski: Automatic Control and System Dynamics Lab, Technische Universität Chemnitz, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany
Stefan Streif: Automatic Control and System Dynamics Lab, Technische Universität Chemnitz, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany
Christian Ulrichs: Thaer-Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Division Urban Plant Ecophysiology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-23

Abstract: With the worldwide industrialization of black soldier fly (BSF) production, it is necessary to better understand how the rearing scale and larvae density influence the performance of larvae and the quality of the final product. In this study, a factorial experiment was conducted to test the effect of rearing scale and density on the growth and composition of the BSF larvae. The larvae were grown in four different scales (box sizes), keeping the area and feed provided to each larva constant and in two different densities. The results reveal significant differences in the larval growth depending on the scale and density, which could be attributed to the higher temperatures achieved in the bigger scales with a temperature difference of more than 5 °C between the smallest and the biggest scale. Both the scale and the density influenced the composition of the larvae. The crude protein levels were higher on the smallest scale, and the lower density (ranging from 32.5% to 36.5%), and crude fat concentrations were the opposite (ranging from 31.7% to 20.1%). The density also influenced the concentrations of S, Mg, K, P, Fe, Zn, Cu, Al, B, and Co, in addition to the analyzed free amino acids PPS, ALA, CIT, and ANS. Furthermore, the rearing scale influenced the concentration of S, Zn, Cu, and Mo. The results provide further insight into the optimization of BSF production processes and the transfer of lab-scale results into big-scale production.

Keywords: black soldier fly; insect protein; insect production; bioaccumulation; rearing scale (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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