Abstract
We modeled the cost-effectiveness of rearing Anastrepha ludens, a major fruit fly pest currently mass reared for sterilization and release in pest control programs implementing the sterile insect technique (SIT). An optimization model was generated by combining response surface models of artificial diet cost savings with models of A. ludens pupation, pupal weight, larval development time and adult emergence as a function of mixtures of yeast, a costly ingredient, with corn flour and corncob fractions in the diet. Our model revealed several yeast-reduced mixtures that could be used to prepare diets that were considerably cheaper than a standard diet used for mass rearing. Models predicted a similar production of insects (pupation and adult emergence), with statistically similar pupal weights and larval development times between yeast-reduced diets and the standard mass rearing diet formulation. Annual savings from using the modified diets could be up to 5.9% of the annual cost of yeast, corn flour and corncob fractions used in the standard diet, representing a potential saving of US $27.45 per ton of diet (US $47,496 in the case of the mean annual production of 1,730.29 tons of artificial diet in the Moscafrut mass rearing facility at Metapa, Chiapas, Mexico). Implementation of the yeast-reduced diet on an experimental scale at mass rearing facilities is still required to confirm the suitability of new mixtures of artificial diet for rearing A. ludens for use in SIT. This should include the examination of critical quality control parameters of flies such as adult flight ability, starvation resistance and male sexual competitiveness across various generations. The method used here could be useful for improving the cost-effectiveness of invertebrate or vertebrate mass rearing diets worldwide.
Highlights
Artificial diets are foods synthesized from one or more ingredients that may be completely defined chemically, partially defined or not defined [1]
The major savings accounted by the models was $195,191 (Fig 2b), which represents a saving of 24.65% of total yeast: corn flour: corncob fractions mixture used in the standard mass rearing artificial diet formulation (Fig 2c)
We used a mixture experiment and response surface methods to show that a modest reduction in the proportion of yeast in mixtures with corn flour and corncob fractions in the artificial diet of A. ludens, can provide important savings in diet costs, without apparent reduction in a range of quality indicators of insects produced for sterile insect technique (SIT)
Summary
Artificial diets are foods synthesized from one or more ingredients that may be completely defined chemically, partially defined or not defined [1]. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
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