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Suitability of maize crop residue fermented by Pleurotus ostreatus as feed for edible crickets: growth performance, micronutrient content, and iron bioavailability

Summary

Researchers tested whether crickets could be raised on inexpensive mushroom-fermented corn stalks as an alternative to costly grain feeds. While the fermented stalks made iron more absorbable by the human body, the crickets actually grew worse on this feed compared to unfermented stalks. The study suggests that combining mushroom and cricket farming, while theoretically appealing for sustainability, may not work well in practice due to poor cricket survival and growth on spent mushroom substrate.

Background

Edible insects could help address protein malnutrition and anemia in resource-limited contexts, but reliable low-cost feeds are needed. This study explores modifying maize crop residue using edible mushroom mycelium to create affordable feed for farmed two-spotted crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus). Utilizing abundant agricultural byproducts through mushroom farming could create circular agricultural systems.

Objective

To evaluate whether maize stover fermented by Pleurotus ostreatus is suitable as feed for edible crickets by measuring cricket growth performance, micronutrient content, and iron bioavailability. The study examined effects of fungal colonization duration and mushroom fruiting conditions on cricket yields and nutritional profiles.

Results

The unfermented control showed higher survivorship and mass yield compared to fermented diets. Iron content was consistent across feeds at 2.46 mg/100g. Iron in crickets fed fruiting-induced substrates demonstrated greater bioavailability than unfruited groups. Despite improved iron bioavailability, fermented substrates resulted in higher mortality and lower overall cricket yields.

Conclusion

Pleurotus-fermented maize stover is unsuitable as a feed ingredient for G. bimaculatus due to high mortality, variability in growth responses, and low mass yield. While fruiting-induced substrates improved iron bioavailability, the overall negative effects on cricket production performance outweigh this benefit. Further investigation into factors driving poor survivorship on fermented feeds is warranted.
  • Published in:Frontiers in Nutrition,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: PMC10368478, PMID: 37497060, doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1157811
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