Theses and Dissertations
Study of insect frass-associated microbiome on plant growth and their potential use as biofertilizer
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0539-1832
Advisor
Ganapathi, Shankar Shanmugam
Committee Member
Dhillon, Jagmandeep
Committee Member
Jordan, Heather
Committee Member
Rai, Aswathy N,
Date of Degree
12-12-2025
Original embargo terms
Immediate Worldwide Access
Document Type
Graduate Thesis - Open Access
Major
Plant and Soil Sciences (Agronomy)
Degree Name
Master of Science (M.S.)
College
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Department
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
Abstract
An increasing global food demand and the urgent need for sustainable agricultural practices have driven interest in insects as alternative feed and food sources. Insect frass, a by-product of insect rearing, represents a rich organic carbon source with diverse microbes that can enhance soil health and promote beneficial plant-microbe interactions. This study characterized the bacterial (16S-V4) and fungal (ITS2) microbiomes of frass from Black Soldier Fly (BSF) and Cricket species and evaluated their effects on maize (Zea mays) growth. Four frass variants were applied at rates of 56-280 kg ha⁻¹ in a pot experiment with untreated soil and mineral fertilizer as controls. Overall, the Cricket frass showed the highest α diversity, while Firmicutes dominated BSF frass. Insect frass treatments improved nitrogen uptake and reduced soil C/N, indicating enhanced mineralization. Overall, insect frass shows strong potential as a sustainable biofertilizer, though application standardization is needed.
Recommended Citation
Sahota, Jasmine, "Study of insect frass-associated microbiome on plant growth and their potential use as biofertilizer" (2025). Theses and Dissertations. 6778.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/6778
