Optimization of Mass-Rearing Methods for Anopheles arabiensis Larval Stages: Effects of Rearing Water Temperature and Larval Density on Mosquito Life-History Traits.
Wadaka Mamai, Leanne N Lobb, Nanwintoum S Bimbilé Somda, Hamidou Maiga, Hanano Yamada, Rosemary Susan Lees, Jeremy Bouyer, Jeremie R L Gilles
Author Information
Wadaka Mamai: Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna, Austria.
Leanne N Lobb: Wits Research Institute for Malaria, MRC Collaborating Centre for Multi-disciplinary Research on Malaria, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa/Centre for Emerging Zoonotic & Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Nanwintoum S Bimbilé Somda: Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna, Austria.
Hamidou Maiga: Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna, Austria.
Hanano Yamada: Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna, Austria.
Rosemary Susan Lees: LITE (Liverpool Insect Testing Establishment), Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Jeremy Bouyer: Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna, Austria.
Jeremie R L Gilles: Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna, Austria.
Insect mass-rearing is an essential requirement for the sterile insect technique. Production at a large scale requires the development of standardized rearing procedures to produce good quality males able to compete with wild males to mate with wild females. Three sets of experiments (using trays placed on the table, the whole tray-rack system, and climate-controlled chambers) have been conducted aiming to determine the optimal water temperature and number of eggs to aliquot into each larval rearing tray to achieve the highest production of pupae. No difference was found in time to pupation, sex ratio, or male body size as a result of altering larval density. However, higher larval densities resulted in decreased emergence rate and female body size. A constant water temperature of 22°C delayed hatching and did not allow Anopheles arabiensis to complete larval development. Hatching eggs in water at 22°C and then increasing water temperature to 27°C resulted in decreased pupae production compared to eggs hatched and larvae maintained at a water temperature of 27°C throughout. Water temperature and larval density affected the production parameters of An. arabiensis mosquitoes, which has implications for mass release programs. We conclude that 4,000 eggs per 4 liter and a water temperature of 27°C were the optimal conditions for mass-rearing this mosquito species which yielded 105,000 pupae/larval rearing unit. These results are valuable information in the development of standard operation procedures for the efficient large-scale rearing of An. arabiensis mosquitoes.
