COMPOSIÇÃO QUÍMICA DO RESÍDUO DA CRIAÇÃO DE Tenebrio molitor (L.) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) aLIMENTADOS COM FARINHA DE BARU (Dipteryx alata)

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different inclusion levels of baru flour as a substitute for wheat flour on the chemical composition of the rearing residue of Tenebrio molitor. The experimental design was a completely randomized block, with four treatments (0, 25, 50, and 75% inclusion of baru flour replacing wheat flour) and four replicates, using 140 pairs of T. molitor beetles per experimental unit. The diets consisted of wheat flour, corn, baru flour, and chayote fractions as a moisture source. After 30 days of oviposition, the beetles were removed, and the rearing residue (feces + substrate) was collected every 30 days until the end of the larval cycle, using a 355 μm sieve. Samples were grouped by replicate and subjected to chemical analysis. Groups were compared by ANOVA, followed by Tukey’s test at a 5% significance level. The results showed that increasing the inclusion of baru flour significantly enhanced organic matter (OM) content, reaching the highest value at 75% inclusion. However, nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) levels decreased as baru flour inclusion increased. For phosphorus (P), the highest levels were observed in treatments with 25% and 50% inclusion. Moreover, 75% inclusion of baru flour resulted in lower values of pH and potential acidity (H⁺+Al³⁺). Calcium (Ca²⁺) content was highest at the 50% inclusion level, while magnesium (Mg²⁺) content was observed at both 25% and 50% inclusion levels.