Bioconversion efficacy of biodegradable waste by Black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) and gut-microbiome analysis

Description

Solid waste management (SWM) is a growing environmental challenge, particularly in developing regions where biodegradable organic residues constitute a major fraction of municipal waste. Biological conversion using insects offers an environmentally compatible alternative for reducing organic waste while simultaneously generating valuable biomass. Among insects investigated for this purpose, black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), Hermetia illucens, are particularly promising because of their capacity to utilize diverse organic substrates. However, substrate composition can influence larval conversion efficiency and may also shape the associated gut microbiome. The present study therefore evaluated different organic substrates for BSFL-mediated bioconversion and examined changes in mineral composition and gut microbial communities associated with the selected substrate. Seven substrate formulations based on banana trash, wheat bran, and coconut cake were screened according to larval consumption and decomposition. The formulation containing banana trash (44.4%), wheat bran (44.4%), and coconut cake (11.11%) showed the highest consumption (20.11%) and decomposition (68%) and was selected for subsequent analyses. ICP-MS and CHNS-O analyses demonstrated changes in elemental distribution during fermentation and larval treatment, while whole-genome metagenomic analysis revealed pronounced differences in bacterial, fungal, and viral communities between laboratory-reared and wild larvae. Bacterial diversity was higher in larvae reared on the selected medium, with substantial community dissimilarity between the two larval groups. Overall, the study highlights the potential of BSFL-based bioconversion for integrated organic-waste processing and provides a basis for further investigation of substrate-associated microbial functions, nutrient transformation, and microbial consortium engineering.

Steps to reproduce

NGS analysis of gut microbiome of black soldier fly

Institutions

• University of Calicut

  Kerala, Malappuram

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