Administration of Brevibacillus laterosporus spores as a poultry feed additive to inhibit house fly development in feces: A new eco-sustainable concept

The success of a microbial pesticide appli- cation against house flies developing in manure should accomplish the uniform mixing of active ingredients with this breeding medium, thus enhancing residual ef- fects. The oral administration of the entomopathogenic bacterium Brevibacillus laterosporus to caged poultry species allows the homogeneous incorporation of its ac- tive ingredients with fly breeding media. Feces from treated broilers or hens show toxicity against exposed fly adults and larvae. Insecticidal effects are concen- tration-dependent with a lethal median concentration (LC50) value of 1.34 × 108 and 0.61 × 108 spores/g of feces for adults and larvae, respectively. Manure toxic- ity against flies was maintained as long as chickens were fed a diet containing adequate concentrations of B. lat- erosporus spores. Toxicity significantly decreased after spore administration to birds was interrupted. When poultry diet contained 1010 spores/g, mortality of flies reared on feces exceeded 80%. The use of B. lateroporus spores as a feed additive in poultry production systems fostering a more integrated approach to farming is dis- cussed.