Abstract
The mosquito larval rearing unit developed at the Insect Pest Control Laboratory (IPCL) of the FAO/IAEA Joint Division was evaluated for its potential use for Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1895) mass rearing in support of the development of a sterile insect technique (SIT) package for this species. The use of the mass rearing trays and rack did not adversely affect larval development, pupation and survival rates and allowed the management of large larval rearing colonies with reduced space requirements in comparison with classical individual trays. The effects of larval density, water temperature and diet composition on pupal production and size differentiation for sex separation efficacy were analyzed for individual mass rearing trays as well as multiple trays stacked within the dedicated rack unit. Best results were obtained using eighteen thousand larvae per tray at a density of 3 larvae per ml of deionized water at a temperature of 28°C on a diet consisting of 50% tuna meal, 36% bovine liver powder, 14% brewer's yeast and, as an additive, 0.2 gr of Vitamin Mix per 100 ml of diet solution. Pupae were harvested on the sixth day from larval introduction at L1 stage and males were separated out by the use of a 1400 µm sieve with 99.0% accuracy with a recovery rate of ca. 25% of the total available males. With the use of this larval rearing unit, an average production of 100,000 male pupae per week can be achieved in just 2 square meter of laboratory space. Compared to previous laboratory rearing method, the same pupal production and sex separation efficacy could only be achieved by use of ca. 200 plastic trays which required the space of two 5 square meter climatic-controlled rooms.
Highlights
Over the last decades, vector-borne diseases have emerged and resurged affecting nearly half of the world’s population and resulting in high morbidity and mortality [1]
The pupae produced at 48 h from the beginning of pupation (NP) differ significantly according to larval density (F(2,6) = 5.59, P,0.05) with less pupae produced as compared to 4 larvae/ml (T = 3.37, P,0.05); no difference was observed in the number of pupae produced at 48 h from treatments with densities of 2 and 3 larvae/ml (T = 1.87, P.0.05) or between larval densities of 3 and 4 larvae/ml (T = 1.47, P.0.05; Table 1)
The number of pupae collected at 24 h from pupation onset which passed through the sieves (NPP) and their percentage of male (%MPP) did not vary with larval density employed (F(2,6) = 4.96, P.0.05 and F(2,6) = 1.81, P.0.05 respectively; Table 2, EXP 1)
Summary
Vector-borne diseases have emerged and resurged affecting nearly half of the world’s population and resulting in high morbidity and mortality [1]. Different approaches employing genetically modified or Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes have been proposed as a possible tool for the control of mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases [6], [7]. Regardless of the different approaches, these genetic control methods share some significant similarities like the extreme species-specificity with minimal impact on non-target organisms and the area-wide approach accomplished by measures whose effectiveness depends on application over large areas initially or continuously supported by efficient mass production of modified target pest [8]. In order to support the development of area-wide mosquito control measures with an SIT component, the FAO/IAEA Insect Pest Control Laboratory (IPCL) is developing, among several other techniques, methods and technologies for large-scale, simple and mechanized mosquito mass rearing procedures [9], [10], [11]
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