Breeding and genomics of the black soldier fly

Insects can produce regional, resilient and sustainable protein from organic waste, promoting a circular bioeconomy. The black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, could replace unsustainable fishmeal and soymeal in aquaculture and livestock feeds, reducing overfishing and deforestation. As such, black soldier fly farming can contribute to global net-zero targets and ensure that global agri-food supply chains are not disrupted by market volatility and climate change.

While there is substantial genetic diversity in the black soldier fly across the world, only one strain of black soldier fly has been domesticated and has yet to be optimised for production under different climates and growing conditions. Through this fellowship, we will research the selection and management of genetic diversity of the domesticated strain using state-of-the-art methods from animal breeding and quantitative genetics. Further, we will explore genetic diversity in a broad panel of domesticated and wild strains using genome sequencing and phenotype screening. We will leverage this diversity by testing the most promising crosses between domesticated and wild strains. These crosses will facilitate genetic improvement for various production environments by combining the local adaptability of wild strains and the high-performance of selectively bred domesticated breeds.

_{Image credit: Oktavianus Mulyadiunder the Pexels licence}