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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Biological Control of Pests Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #317163

Title: Feeding the insect industry

Author
item Rojas, Maria - Guadalupe
item Morales Ramos, Juan

Submitted to: Research Media EU Magazine
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/21/2015
Publication Date: 6/1/2015
Citation: Rojas, M.G., Morales Ramos, J.A. 2015. Feeding the insect industry. Research Media EU Magazine. 182: 47-49.

Interpretive Summary: Provision of artificially fed insects is key for improving efficiency and reducing costs for many industries. To achieve this goal research on understanding the dietary dietary requirements of commercially important arthropods and incorporating key nutrients in colloidal artificial diets.

Technical Abstract: This article reports the use of insect colloidal artificial diets suitable for the rearing of economically important arthropods, such as Lygus lineolaris, Lygus hesperus, Coleomegilla maculata, and Phytoseiulus persimilis The different diets contain key nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, salts, and gelling agents such as lambda carrageenan and maltodextrin. Colloidal formulations are prepared at room temperature, from liquid to solid states which eliminates the use of agar.