Application of insect-derived resources as soil amendments

Commodities

Practices

Sustainable agriculture is essential to address modern challenges like population growth and resource conservation. Also, it aligns with circular economy principles. The drive towards sustainable agriculture comes from the result of soil erosion, excessive use of pesticides and other contributing factors. Soil fertility decline is a major concern in all agricultural systems, but particularly in urban settings where farmers are often constrained by contaminants in the soil. A common approach to build soil health is through the applications of amendments. Amendments can provide several benefits such as improved soil fertility and water holding capacity. Soil amendments can stem from a variety of resources and often are the result of some form of composting. A more recent source of soil amendments are those derived from the production of insects for protein and include Hermetia illucens (black soldier fly; BSF) or Acheta domesticus (house cricket). Recent efforts out of Dr. Ingwell’s lab, has focused on BSF because of the advantages associated with their production on-farm. The larvae feed on a wide range of organic waste streams and convert those sources into different by-products. Specially, their use in waste management application represents a worldwide benefit and the potential to create circular economies. Amending the soil with black soldier fly and other insect by-products can benefit crop production, soil physical properties, and microbial communities. However, knowledge gaps remain around the application rates and impacts on crop production and herbivore susceptibility when insect-derived amendments are utilized. My research aims to improve urban farmers’ knowledge of insect-derived compost benefits in crop production and the ability to produce their own insect-derived compost on their farms. Through greenhouse assays and laboratory analysis I will evaluate the impact of three insect-derived soil amendments on resistance against two insect herbivores plaguing brassica crop production. Results from this study will be disseminated through demonstrational videos, extension bulletins, oral presentations at grower and scientific meetings, poster sessions, and field day demonstrations at our research farms.

The targeted learning outcomes from this study include 1) a better understanding of the impacts of insect-derived soil amendments on plant defense, 2) urban farmers will improve their knowledge of insect-derived compost benefits in crop production, and 3) increase their ability to utilize insect-derived amendments to improve soil health and crop productivity. Action outcomes from this study will be that urban farmers will be able to 1) improve crop productivity through the application of insect-derived composts, 2) produce their own insect-derived amendments through black soldier fly composting with locally available organic wastes, and 3) reduce input costs for soil amendments. These outcomes will be achieved through greenhouse research and dissemination of findings at field days and grower conferences. I will produce educational materials (video and print) as additional training resources.