Nie Ji'ang, Chen Hao, Wang Yongdong, Zhang Dapeng, Wang Yao, Gao Zheng, Wang Ningxin
College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, China.
College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, China.
Microbiol Spectr. 2025 Aug 5;13(8):e0247024. doi: 10.1128/spectrum.02470-24. Epub 2025 Jul 2.
Insect frass, a by-product of insect cultivation, represents an emergent category of agricultural waste. How to develop and make full use of this waste is a major issue to be addressed. In this study, the locust () frass was used as an organic fertilizer in a peach orchard, and its effects on soil were investigated, including physicochemical properties and microbial community over three consecutive years. Compared to chemical fertilizer (CF), the application of locust frass (LF) enhanced the alpha diversity and network complexity of the soil microbial community. Furthermore, locust frass application led to an enrichment of functional microbial groups associated with the nitrogen cycle and enhanced the contents of nitrogen in the soil. was identified as keystone microbes that discriminated between locust frass and chemical fertilizer treatments, and promoted the growth of Chinese cabbage ( L.) in pot experiments. The abundance of diminished with successive applications of chemical fertilizers, whereas its prevalence remained consistent in the soil with application of locust frass. Importantly, locust frass application led to an enrichment of functional microbial groups associated with the nitrogen cycle and enhanced the contents of nitrogen in the soil. Structural equation modeling (SEM) suggests that nitrite respiration after locust frass application had a negative effect on soil total nitrogen content and that total nitrogen affected the entire taxa by affecting the rare taxa. Our results provided a theoretical basis for the application of locust frass as organic fertilizer.
Insect frass is a new type of organic fertilizer. The effects of some insect frass on soil have been investigated. However, the effect of locust frass (LF) (a by-product of the rearing process of this major edible insect) as an organic fertilizer is not well known. This study investigates the effects of locust frass on soil properties and the microbial community, providing valuable guide on its use as an organic fertilizer in agricultural production.
昆虫粪便作为昆虫养殖的副产品，是一种新兴的农业废弃物类别。如何开发和充分利用这种废弃物是一个亟待解决的主要问题。在本研究中，将蝗虫粪便用作桃园的有机肥料，并连续三年研究其对土壤的影响，包括理化性质和微生物群落。与化肥（CF）相比，施用蝗虫粪便（LF）提高了土壤微生物群落的α多样性和网络复杂性。此外，施用蝗虫粪便导致与氮循环相关的功能微生物群富集，并提高了土壤中的氮含量。被鉴定为区分蝗虫粪便和化肥处理的关键微生物，并在盆栽试验中促进了大白菜（ ）的生长。随着化肥的连续施用， 的丰度降低，而在施用蝗虫粪便的土壤中其流行率保持一致。重要的是，施用蝗虫粪便导致与氮循环相关的功能微生物群富集，并提高了土壤中的氮含量。结构方程模型（SEM）表明，施用蝗虫粪便后的亚硝酸盐呼吸对土壤总氮含量有负面影响，总氮通过影响稀有类群影响整个类群。我们的结果为蝗虫粪便作为有机肥料的应用提供了理论依据。
昆虫粪便是一种新型有机肥料。已经研究了一些昆虫粪便对土壤的影响。然而，蝗虫粪便（LF）（这种主要食用昆虫养殖过程的副产品）作为有机肥料的效果尚不清楚。本研究调查了蝗虫粪便对土壤性质和微生物群落的影响，为其在农业生产中作为有机肥料的使用提供了有价值的指导。
