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ABSTRACT
The larvae of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens), which have the capacity to consume a variety of organic wastes, are frequently utilised in bioconversion processes to minimise organic wastes. An alternative protein source for animal feedstock was developed using this process, which converts organic waste into biomass of larvae and prepupae. In this study, the effect of cassava flour, plantain and their combination on Hermetia illucens larvae development rate, survival rate, weight gain and sex ratio was analysed. Four larvae densities, 50, 100, 200 and 400 were used for each diet as replicate. Nutrient content of the diets were analysed proximately (protein, lipid and ash content were more in protein then observed in cassava flour pls add the percentage). A significant difference in development time was observed across all diets with the shortest period observed in the plantain diet (30 days), the cassava flour diet had the longest development period (35 days), while it took cassava flour plus plantain mixture (34%) developmental period . The most biased sex ratio was observed in the plantain diet (62.64% female). The highest weight gain was observed in the cassava flour diet (33.79%), while the cassava flour-plantain combination had the lowest weight gain (26.39%). The survival rate was highest for larvae reared on plantain (45.38%), followed by the cassava flour-plantain combination (42.75%). This study shows that the different diets have immense effects on the population dynamic of Hermetia illucens as plantain is preferred in its rearing.
