IMPACT OF LEGUMES ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF YELLOW MEALWORM, TENEBRIO MOLITOR L.

Abstract

Yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) has been recognized as a renewable protein source due to its amazning ability to process organic waste. Diet optimization is a key to achieve the better outcomes in the commercial farming of mealworms. Some previous studies have shown that various legume based proteinaceous diets can positively affect biological characteristics of mealworms. In the present study, we evaluated different combinations of three legumes i.e. Vigna unguiculata L. (lobia) and Cicer arietinum L. (chickpea) and Vigna radiata L. (mungbean) regarding their impact on biological responses of mealworms. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in legume diet mixes in terms of larval period, larval weight, pupal period, pupal weight and total development period to adult. The mealworms fed on 100 percent mungbean showed the shortest larval and pupal periods (76.8 ± 0.51 and 15 ± 0.258 days, respectively) while those fed on 100 percent lobia showed the longest larval and pupal periods (92.3 ± 0.44 and 23.2 ± 0.327 days, respectively). Similarly, mealworms fed on 100 percent mungbean exhibited the highest larval and pupal weights (0.12 ± 0.001 and 0.938 ± 0.002g, respectively) and required shortest developmental period to reach adulthood (91.85 ± 0.612 days) compared with those reared on 100% lobia. There was no significant difference in pupation and emergence rates among the treatments. Overall, mungbean diets improved growth performance and development rate of yellow mealworms. Future research should evaluate supplementation of traditional wheat bran with mungbean in order to achieve the optimum mealworm production on sustainable basis. Subsequently, how prolonged feeding on mungbean diet can impact growth performance should also be studied.