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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #421182
Research Project: Developing Best Management Practices for Poultry Litter to Improve Agronomic Value and Reduce Air, Soil and Water Pollution

Location: Poultry Production and Product Safety Research

Title: Frass fertilizer impacts on soil and plant health in circular agroecosystems

Author
item AMORIM, HELEN - University Of Arkansas
item Ashworth, Amanda

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/15/2024
Publication Date: 11/15/2024
Citation: Amorim, H., Ashworth, A.J. 2024. Frass fertilizer impacts on soil and plant health in circular agroecosystems. Abstract. Entomology 2024, Phoenix, Arizona. November 10-13, 2024.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Insect frass (excreta + exuviae) is emerging as an eco-friendly fertilizer source, but field research is needed to understand how soil health and plant growth are affected by insect frass. Here, we showcased frass improvements on soil and plant health, as well as frass chemical characterization based on insect species and feed source. In general, insects fed standard diets had 2-3 times more C- and N-enriched frass, while insects fed agrifood waste had more P, K, and ammonium and nitrate. Crickets receiving a standard diet had the highest N-P-K contents (5-2-2). After two years of land application of yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) larvae frass on bermudagrass plots, the greater frass rate increased (p<0.05) soil C, N, P, K, and Mg by 10, 12, 44, 58, and 61%, respectively, compared to ammonium nitrate. Even the lower frass rate increased soil P, K, and Mg by 37, 31, and 32%, respectively, relative to the inorganic fertilizer treatment. Relative to poultry litter, high frass rates increased soil N, K, and Mg by 12, 30, and 35%, respectively. Soil C and N at the 0-15 cm depth increased 2 and 3-fold, respectively, under the high frass rate relative to ammonium nitrate. Overall, frass applications substantially improved soil fertility relative to poultry litter and ammonium nitrate indicating a great potential to be used as a partial or complete substitute for mineral NPK fertilizer, which is important under the backdrop of reduced availability of chemical fertilizers globally and the importance of circular systems for sustainable intensification.