Use of Black Soldier Fly Larvae for Bioconversion of Tomato Crop Residues

Abstract

This study assessed the performance of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) fed different tomato plant residues (fruit, leaves, and stems) at doses ranging from 100 to 350 mg/larva/day over ten days. Most doses resulted in 100% survival, except for the leaf residue at the highest dose (300 mg/larva/day), which had an 88% survival rate. Growth varied by substrate, with the highest increase observed in larvae-fed tomato fruit, followed by stems and leaves. However, no doses exceeded the control diet regarding biomass accumulation, although fruit tomatoes produced the highest wet biomass (13.71 g). Larvae-fed fruit tomatoes also showed the best performance in waste reduction index (WRI) with 7.56, substrate reduction (SR) of 75%, and a feed conversion rate (FCR) of 3.29. Furthermore, the fruit tomato was the most efficient at converting organic waste into larval biomass. This study demonstrates the potential of using tomato plant residues as a sustainable substrate for BSFL, offering an effective way to manage agricultural waste and produce valuable larval biomass.