Development of mass-rearing of African giant cricket (<i>Brachytrupes membranaceus</i> (Drury) (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)) based on plant material and by-product diets in the Republic of Benin

The African giant cricket (Brachytrupes membranaceus) is the most consumed species of cricket in Benin. Primarily collected in the wild during the rainy season, B. membranaceus is a seasonal source of animal protein for the population, whose availability and accessibility remain major challenges. This study aimed to determine the growth performance, survival rate, and feed preference of B. membranaceus fed with two different traditional diets. The diet was made up of cassava peelings, cassava stems, cowpea leaves, peanut shells, palm kernel cake, smoked fish waste, and eggshells. The measured parameters were growth, survival, and dietary data. The different diets induced significant variation (p<0.001) in the growth, mortality rate, and yield of the African giant cricket nymphs. The consumption of palm kernel cake, cassava stalks, fish waste, and cowpea leaves by B. membranaceus positively influenced (p<0.001) the crickets’ weight and size gain. A significant reduction in the mortality rate (p<0.001) of African giant crickets was observed with the combination of foods such as cassava peel, cassava stem, fish waste, cowpea leaves, eggshells, and palm kernel cake in their diets. Cassava stems, palm kernel cake, red cowpea leaves, and fish waste could be promoted for the mass rearing of B. membranaceus in Benin.