1Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, POO Box, 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
2Department of Invertebrates, National Center for Wildlife, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
*Corresponding Author: F.A. Al-Mekhlafi, Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, POO Box, 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia, Email: falmekhlafi@ksu.edu.sa
Online published on 9 July, 2025.
Date palm seeds, a common waste product from date palm cultivation, have the potential to be repurposed as a feed material for Tenebrio molitor larvae, commonly known as mealworms.
This study investigates the feasibility of utilizing date palm seeds as a sustainable feed source for mealworm rearing. Different ratios of date palm seed (DS) powder to wheat bran (WB) were used in the feed: 100% DS, 75% DS/25% WB, 50% DS/50% WB and 25% DS/75% WB. These treatments were assessed for their effects on mealworm growth, survival, total protein and phenolic contents, comparing them to conventional feed sources.
The analysis revealed that DS 25 and WB 75 exhibited the highest concentration of phenolic compounds among the examined extracts, measuring 0.91 mg GA/g. Conversely, WB 100 displayed the highest protein concentration at 51.69 mg/g, while DS 75 and WB 25 exhibited the lowest concentration at 38.62 mg/g. The total larval survival rates varied across different dietary compositions, with mealworms fed on DS 25: WB 75 achieving the highest survival rate of 95.50±0.95%. larvae fed with DS 25: WB 75 showed the highest weight gain compared to other dietary compositions, indicating optimal growth conditions for mealworm larvae in this ratio. Results indicate that date palm seeds can serve as a viable alternative feed material for Tenebrio molitor larvae, offering a sustainable solution for waste management in date palm farming while providing a nutritious feed source for insect rearing.
Antioxidant activity, Feed supplementation, Growth performance, Mealworm, Phenolic contents
