Low-cost technology for recycling agro-industrial waste into nutrient-rich organic fertilizer using black soldier fly

Beesigamukama, Dennis; Mochoge, Benson; Korir, Nicholas Kibet; Fiaboe, Komi K. M.; Nakimbugwe, Dorothy; Khamis, Fathiya M.; Subramanian, Sevgan; Wangu, Musyoka M.; Dubois, Thomas; Ekesi, Sunday; Tanga, Chrysantus M.

doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2020.09.043

Cited by 81 publications

(90 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…The higher growth rate and yield associated with vegetables grown using BSFFF could also be attributed to its high maturity and stability as indicated by parameters such as the lower C/N ratio (11) and high germination index (86%) ( Table 2 ). Findings from this study are in line with Beesigamukama et al ( 2020a , 2021 ) who reported the absence of phytotoxicity in composted BSF frass as organic fertilizer. Therefore, the increased vegetable growth, N uptake in vegetables grown using BSFFF compared to the conventional compost, and commercial organic and mineral fertilizers could be attributed to better supply and availability of nutrients from the newly introduced frass fertilizer (Beesigamukama et al, 2020b ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…The BSFFF was obtained frass generated from the feeding of BSF larvae on BSG at the animal rearing and quarantine unit at icipe. The BSF larvae were reared following procedures described by Beesigamukama et al ( 2021 ). The BSG compost was generated from the composting process of BSG sourced from Kenya Breweries Limited, Nairobi, Kenya.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Black soldier fly (BSF) ( Hermetia illucens L.) frass fertilizer (BSFFF) is a byproduct from bioconversion of organic wastes using BSF larvae into nutrient-rich and hygienic organic fertilizer (Erickson et al, 2004 ; Lalander et al, 2015 , 2016 ). Unlike the conventional composting process, which takes 8–24 weeks, BSF-assisted composting takes only 5 weeks to convert organic waste into mature and stable organic fertilizer (Beesigamukama et al, 2021 ). The high bioconversion efficiency of BSF could be partly attributed to the high waste reduction efficiency (65–79%) (Diener et al, 2011 ) and the high abundance and diversity of microbial decomposers associated with BSF larvae (Elhag et al, 2017 ; Vogel et al, 2018 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Black Soldier Fly-Composted Organic Fertilizer Enhances Growth, Yield, and Nutrient Quality of Three Key Vegetable Crops in Sub-Saharan Africa

et al. 2021

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Worldwide, French beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), and kales (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) are considered economically important food crops. There is a rapid decline in their yield due to severe soil degradation. Thus, high commercial fertilizer inputs are crucial, though they remain expensive and inaccessible to resource poor farmers. We investigated the comparative performance of composted black soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF), conventionally composted brewer's spent grain (BSG), commercial organic fertilizer (Evergrow), and mineral [nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK)] fertilizer on growth, yield, N use efficiency, and nutritional quality (crude protein, crude fiber, crude fats, ash, and carbohydrate concentrations) of tomatoes, kales, and French beans under greenhouse and open-field conditions for two seasons. The fertilizers were applied at rates equivalent to 371 kg of N ha−1. For each crop, the plots were treated with sole rates of BSFFF, BSG, Evergrow, and NPK to supply 100% of the N required. Additional treatments included a combination of BSFFF and NPK, and BSG and NPK so that each fertilizer supplies 50% of the N required. The control treatment consisted of unfertilized soil. Results show that vegetable yields achieved using a combination of BSFFF and NPK were 4.5, 2.4, and 5.4-folds higher than the yield from the control treatment for tomatoes, kales, and French beans, respectively. The combined application of BSFFF and NPK produced 22–135%, 20–27%, and 38–50% higher yields than sole NPK for tomatoes, kales, and French beans, respectively, under both greenhouse and open-field conditions. The highest agronomic N use efficiency was achieved in sole BSFFF-treated plots compared to sole BSG and Evergrow. The N taken up by the vegetables was significantly higher when BSFFF and NPK were integrated. Vegetables grown using a combination of BSFFF and NPK had the highest crude protein and ash concentrations. Our findings demonstrate that the integration of BSFFF and NPK in vegetable cropping systems at the recommended rate of 1.24 t ha−1 BSFFF and 322 kg ha−1 NPK would improve soil health, boost yield, and nutritional quality of vegetable crops.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Black Soldier Fly-Composted Organic Fertilizer Enhances Growth, Yield, and Nutrient Quality of Three Key Vegetable Crops in Sub-Saharan Africa

et al. 2021

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“…Ammonium nitrogen is one of the major N fractions that influence N released from organic fertilizers 32 . The BSF frass contains high levels of ammonium nitrogen 15 , 18 , 41 , which requires time to be converted into plant-available form (NO 3 − ) through mineralization and nitrification processes. At the same time, ammonium is preferred by soil microorganisms, making it prone to immobilization 25 , 42 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The black soldier fly (BSF) produces nutrient-rich frass fertilizer with minimal pathogens 10 , 14 – 16 and chemical pollutants 17 . Unlike the conventional composting process, BSF-assisted composting is faster 18 and more efficient at nutrient recycling 15 , 19 . In addition to its agronomic superiority 8 , 10 , 20 , 21 , the black soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF) effectively improves plant health by suppressing plant pathogens 11 , 22 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In situ nitrogen mineralization and nutrient release by soil amended with black soldier fly frass fertilizer

Beesigamukama

Mochoge

Korir

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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Although black soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF) is effective on crop performance, information on nitrogen (N) mineralization and nutrient release capacity of soils amended with BSFFF is lacking. This study utilized field incubation experiments to investigate the ammonification, nitrification, microbial populations, and quantities of nutrients released by soils amended with BSFFF and commercial organic fertilizer (SAFI) for a period equivalent to two maize cropping seasons. For the control treatment, no BSFFF or SAFI was added. Results indicated that most of the N in BSFFF amended soils was available in the ammonium form, while soils treated with SAFI had higher nitrate concentration. The BSFFF amended soils experienced shorter net immobilization periods of N (30–60 days) compared to SAFI treated soils (60–95 days). Increased rates of mineralization (3–10 times) and nitrification (2–4 times) were observed in soils treated with BSFFF during the second season of application. The BSFFF treated soils showed significantly higher N, phosphorus, and magnesium release than the control. Repeated application of BSFFF led to increased N release by three-folds in the soil. Furthermore, soil amendment with BSFFF increased the populations of bacteria and fungi, reduced soil acidity, and increased phosphorus (two-folds) and magnesium (two–four-folds) release than SAFI treated soils. Our findings highlight the crucial role of BSFFF in improving soil health by addressing the challenges of soil acidity, phosphorus fixation and nutrient mining, which is characteristic of most tropical soils.

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Insect-Mediated Waste Conversion

Shaboon

Omar

2022

Waste-to-Energy

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Low-cost technology for recycling agro-industrial waste into nutrient-rich organic fertilizer using black soldier fly

Cited by 81 publications

References 33 publications

Black Soldier Fly-Composted Organic Fertilizer Enhances Growth, Yield, and Nutrient Quality of Three Key Vegetable Crops in Sub-Saharan Africa

Black Soldier Fly-Composted Organic Fertilizer Enhances Growth, Yield, and Nutrient Quality of Three Key Vegetable Crops in Sub-Saharan Africa

In situ nitrogen mineralization and nutrient release by soil amended with black soldier fly frass fertilizer

Insect-Mediated Waste Conversion

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