Karifa Camara1,2, Kadidiata Ilboudo1, Ernest Wendemanegde Salou3,4, Geoffrey Gimonneau1,5,6. 1. Centre International de Recherche-Développement sur l'Elevage en zone subhumide (CIRDES), BP 454, Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso. 2. Institut Supérieur des Sciences et de Médecine Vétérinaire (ISSMV), BP 09, Dalaba, Guinea. 3. Centre International de Recherche-Développement sur l'Elevage en zone subhumide (CIRDES), BP 454, Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso. salouernest@gmail.com. 4. Département de Sciences biologiques/UFR-ST, Université́ Nazi Boni (UNB), BP 1091, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. salouernest@gmail.com. 5. INTERTRYP, Unité mixte de recherche (UMR), Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD), 34398, Montpellier, France. 6. INTERTRYP, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), CIRAD, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The main challenge to the successful mass-rearing of the tsetse fly in insectaries, especially in Africa, is a sustainable supply of high-quality blood meals. As such, the collection of high-quality blood in large quantities can be an important constraint to production. One possible strategy to lessen the impact of this constraint is to modify the blood-feeding frequency. In the study reported here, we evaluated the effect of three blood-feeding frequencies on the colony performance of Glossina palpalis gambiensis, a riverine tsetse fly species. METHODS: The effect of three, four and six blood-feedings per week on female survival and productivity were evaluated over a 30-day period. Progeny emergence rate and flight ability were also evaluated. RESULTS: Female survival was significantly higher in flies fed four times per week (87%) than in those fed three (72%) and six times per week (78%; P < 0.05). Productivity was similar between flies fed four and six times per week (457 and 454 larvae) but significantly reduced in flies fed three times per week (280 larvae produced; P < 0.05). Both emergence rate and flight ability rate were also similar between flies fed four times per week (97 and 94%, respectively) and six times per week (96 and 97%, respectively), but they were significantly reduced when flies were fed three times per week (89 and 84%, respectively; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Blood-feeding frequency could be reduced from six times per week to four times per week without affecting mass-rearing production and progeny quality. The implications of these results on tsetse mass-rearing production are discussed.
BACKGROUND: The main challenge to the successful mass-rearing of the tsetse fly in insectaries, especially in Africa, is a sustainable supply of high-quality blood meals. As such, the collection of high-quality blood in large quantities can be an important constraint to production. One possible strategy to lessen the impact of this constraint is to modify the blood-feeding frequency. In the study reported here, we evaluated the effect of three blood-feeding frequencies on the colony performance of Glossina palpalis gambiensis, a riverine tsetse fly species. METHODS: The effect of three, four and six blood-feedings per week on female survival and productivity were evaluated over a 30-day period. Progeny emergence rate and flight ability were also evaluated. RESULTS: Female survival was significantly higher in flies fed four times per week (87%) than in those fed three (72%) and six times per week (78%; P < 0.05). Productivity was similar between flies fed four and six times per week (457 and 454 larvae) but significantly reduced in flies fed three times per week (280 larvae produced; P < 0.05). Both emergence rate and flight ability rate were also similar between flies fed four times per week (97 and 94%, respectively) and six times per week (96 and 97%, respectively), but they were significantly reduced when flies were fed three times per week (89 and 84%, respectively; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Blood-feeding frequency could be reduced from six times per week to four times per week without affecting mass-rearing production and progeny quality. The implications of these results on tsetse mass-rearing production are discussed.