Wheat germ oil and its effects on a liquid larval rearing diet for oriental fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Wheat germ oil was added to a larval liquid diet for rearing Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae) to optimize fruit fly quality. Effects of various concentrations of wheat germ oil at 0.04, 0.07, 0.15, 0.30, and 0.66% and their possible mode of action were evaluated. Results suggest that addition of wheat germ oil does not affect pupal weight, larval developmental period, adult emergence, mating ability, or peak time for egg production. But there was a significant increase in pupal recovery, percentage of adult fliers, egg production, or egg hatch for larvae fed the diet with wheat germ oil compared with those reared on the liquid diet without wheat germ oil. The increase in egg hatch and fliers was dose dependent. Therefore, addition of wheat germ oil to fruit fly rearing diet is a novel way to improve fruit fly quality, especially in egg hatch, fliers, egg production, and pupal recovery.