Black soldier fly frass as a natural biostimulant for banana nursery cultivation

Overview

This research initiative explores the use of Hermetia illucens (black soldier fly) larval frass as a natural biostimulant to enhance soil properties and plant development during the nursery phase of banana cultivation. Black soldier fly larvae are widely cultivated for their ability to recycle diverse organic waste streams while producing high-protein insect meal. The frass, a byproduct of larval digestion, contains a broad spectrum of antimicrobial peptides and has demonstrated promising properties as a soil fertilizer in prior studies. This project seeks to determine whether insect frass can serve as an effective, sustainable biostimulant that supports early-stage banana plant growth, contributing to more circular and resource-efficient agricultural practices.

Technical specifications

Research approach:

• Larval frass will be produced using four distinct organic waste substrates: corn cobs, brewery waste, chicken manure, and a mixed vegetable and fruit residue blend
• High-fiber substrates will receive a pretreatment with Trichoderma reesei, a fungal strain previously validated by the research team to enhance larval digestion of lignin-rich materials and improve organic waste reduction
• Stage one focuses on frass production across the different substrate conditions
• Stage two evaluates physicochemical and microbiological properties of the resulting frass to characterize its biostimulant potential
• Stage three assesses the effects of frass application on growth and development of banana plants during the nursery phase
• The research team brings nearly a decade of experience working with H. illucens since 2016, including expertise in substrate optimization and microbial pretreatment strategies

Technology readiness level

This is an early-stage applied research project at Technology Readiness Level 2-3 (concept formulation through experimental proof-of-concept). The hypothesis builds on the team's established expertise in black soldier fly cultivation and substrate management, with prior work demonstrating successful larval development on pretreated high-fiber waste. The proposed one-year validation plan is structured in three sequential experimental stages, progressing from frass production through characterization to plant-level evaluation. Successful outcomes could establish the foundation for field-scale validation and commercial development of insect frass-based biostimulants tailored for banana production systems.