Study on the Reproductive Efficiency of Glossina pallidipes and Glossina f. fuscipes Under Laboratory Conditions"

Tsetse flies (Dipterans: Glossinidae) are blood-feeder flies of the genus Glossina that belong to the family Glossinidae. SIT is based on the mass production, radiation-based sterilization and release of sterile male tsetse flies over a target area to suppress or locally eliminate a target tsetse population. The aim of this study was to assess the reproductive efficiency of Glossina pallidipes and G. f. fuscipes reared under laboratory conditions in terms of productivity, and survival of flies fed on different animal blood. A total of 384 flies from each female G. pallidipes and G. f. fuscipes were used to study the Reproductive Efficiency of Glossina pallidipes and Glossina fuscipes in terms of productivity and survival of flies obtained from stock colony of Kality Tsetse Research Centre and fed on animals’ blood of bovine, camel, ovine and caprine for a period of 3 months. Duncan multiple range test was performed to analyze pupae per initial female, pupae production, fecundity, survival test fed on different blood diets using Stata computer software (version12.0). The result reviled that Pupae per initial female recorded in G. pallidipes fed on the blood of caprine was significantly lower compared to those flies fed on the blood of the other animals. On the other hand, female flies of G. f. fuscipes which fed on the blood of camel had significantly higher mean pupae per initial female than those flies fed on the blood of ovine, bovine, and caprine. Moreover, pupae quality as measured by weight class showed that flies fed caprine blood had also more small weight pupae (class A and B) compared to flies fed camel blood. However, in G. pallidipes, a statistically significant difference was not recorded in their survival rate in females flies fed camel, bovine and ovine blood. But in general camel blood was found to be the most suitable blood followed by ovine, bovine, and caprine in terms of productivity, pupae production, fecundity, and pupae weight of flies. Camel blood meal should be used for invitro feeding purpose of both G. pallidipes and G. f. fuscipes species of tsetse flies under laboratory condition to ensure better production.