Effects of fermented coconut dregs and rumen contents mixture as rearing substrates on prepupae and pupae development of black soldier fly
Nurul Isnaini1,*, Akbar Aditya Trihendarsa1, and Faizal Andri1

1Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang 65145, Indonesia
*Corresponding author: nurulisna[at]ub.ac.id

Abstract

Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) are increasingly utilized in sustainable waste management and as a high-protein feed source in the livestock industries. Optimizing their growth conditions, particularly using various organic substrates, is crucial for enhancing their development and maximizing biomass yield. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of fermented coconut dregs (FCD) and rumen contents (FRC) mixture as rearing substrates on prepupae and pupae development of black soldier fly. Method used in this study was an experiment with five treatments and five replicates. The treatments were various proportions of FCD and FRC mixtures including T0: 100% FCD, T1: 95% FCD + 5% FRC, T2: 90% FCD + 10% FRC, T3: 85% FCD + 15% FRC, and T4: 80% FCD + 20% FRC. Results showed that various proportions of FCD and FRC mixtures significantly affect (P < 0.05) prepupae development. Increasing the proportion of FRC reduced (P < 0.05) the length, width, and weight of prepupae, with T4 showing the lowest value. Pupae development also significantly differed (P < 0.05) among rearing substrates. Increasing the proportion of FRC leads to a reduction in pupae length, width, and weight, with T4 resulted in the lowest pupae development traits. These findings highlight that while FRC can be incorporated into the rearing substrate, higher proportions may hinder optimal prepupae and pupae development of black soldier fly.

Keywords: black soldier fly, organic substrate, prepupae development, pupae development sustainable waste management

Topic: Animal Breeding and Reproduction