Genetic and genomic selection in insects as food and feed

Abstract

This review will summarise existing tools and resources and highlight areas of focus for the insects as food and feed industry for the production of insects as alternative protein sources. By applying knowledge gained from other agricultural organisms coupled with the ease of insect population growth and rearing capabilities, and the increase in biotechnological advances, strains optimised for various economic and biological traits should be one of the most attainable goals for researchers and insect farmers alike. We have reviewed strengths (and weaknesses) of various genetic and genomic approaches, and consider the future of insect farming in the context of genetic and genomic selection of insects.

Feed and Host Genetics Drive Microbiome Diversity with Resultant Consequences for Production Traits in Mass-Reared Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae

“…It is, therefore, unsurprising that BSF mass-rearing ventures have become increasingly prevalent in recent years [16], with marked improvements in colony management strategies and production rates attributable to ongoing elucidation of rearing optima [17][18][19][20]. However, as with livestock sectors, it is likely that continued growth and sustainability of this nascent industry will rely on the development and integration of advanced molecular technologies, such as genomic monitoring and selection tools, genetic transformation procedures, and other next-generation omics data for expediting trait gain and informing managerial decisions [21][22][23][24][25].…”

Advancing edible insects as food and feed in a circular economy

“…While diet can certainly be used to manipulate production of insects that are mass reared, Eriksson and Picard (2021) cover this topic from a different perspective by focusing on genetics. The value of deciphering the genetic makeup of mass-produced insect species has benefitted other insect-based systems (e.g.…”

“…They also stress that protocols need to be developed for the management, prevention, and control of diseases. Eriksson and Picard (2021), while discussing genetic and genomic selection, predict that next-generation molecular technologies, such as the CRISPR/Cas genome editing toolkit, will fuel future innovations. They mention approaches to isolate and characterise genetic variants linked to phenotypes.…”

Genotype-by-Diet Interactions for Larval Performance and Body Composition Traits in the Black Soldier Fly, Hermetia illucens

“…Thereby genetically determined performance and body composition trait variation relative to diet-mediated effects can be disentangled. Such fundamental assessments are indispensable, both for evaluating the breeding potential of selected BSF traits [ 51 ] and exploring the genetic architecture of traits based on recently published genomic resources [ 52 , 53 ]. For instance, Kaya et al [ 50 ] documented a shared ancestry across most BSF strains used for academic research and commercial purposes across North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.…”