Performance of the African edible bush-cricket, Ruspolia differens, on single and mixed diets containing inflorescences of their host plant species
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Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Entomologia experimentalis et applicata, special issue: insect production
Abstract
The African edible bush-cricket, Ruspolia differens (Serville) (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), is an eco nomically valuable insect in sub-Saharan Africa. For its mass-rearing, suitable diets that can sustain
its performance need to be identified. This study aimed at finding inflorescence diets of 10 host plant
species and their mixtures that result in the highest R. differens production. We reared newly hatched
nymphs to adults on inflorescences of single host species, and also on a gradient of five diversifying
dietary mixtures consisting of one and mixtures of two, three, five, and seven host plant species. For
the single host-plant diets, the developmental time was shortest on Pennisetum purpureum, Chloris
gayana, and Brachiaria ruziziensis (approximately 63 days), whereas the fresh weight was highest on
B. ruziziensis and P. purpureum (approximately 0.383 g). Survival was highest (>65%) on C. gayana,
P. purpureum, B. ruziziensis, Setaria sphacelata, and Sporobolus pyramidalis, and lowest on Panicum
maximum, Hyparrhenia rufa, Cynodon dactylon, and Paspalum scrobiculatum (<40%). With respect
to diet mixtures, the developmental time was significantly shorter (on average 16 days shorter), and
survival was higher, in the most diversified diets compared to the least diversified diets. The contents
of polyunsaturated fatty acids and fatty acid composition did not differ significantly among the diets.
However, the content of monounsaturated fatty acids differed significantly among the diets and there
was a significant diet*sex interaction. From the applied point of view, based on our results, for maximal weight and survival plus fast development, we recommend rearing on P. purpureum, C. gayana,
B. ruziziensis, and S. sphacelata, and on dietary mixtures of inflorescences. These findings are important in designing large-scale rearing programs for this species.
Description
Malinga_insect_food_article_2020
Keywords
Insect developmental time, Diet mixing, Fatty acids, Insect farming, Nsenene, Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Inflorescence diet, Ruspolia differens, African edible bush-cricket
Citation
Malinga, G. M., Valtonen, A., Hiltunen, M., Lehtovaara, V. J., Nyeko, P., & Roininen, H. (2020). Performance of the African edible bush‐cricket, Ruspolia differens, on single and mixed diets containing inflorescences of their host plant species. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 168(6-7), 448-459.