• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.171-174
• /
• 2009

The black soldier fly larvae are able to decompose various organic wastes such as livestock manures and food wastes. We tested whether the quality of the insect derived compost, i.e. larval feces, was comparable to that of a commercial fertilizer. The results show that the chemical composition and the growth rate of cabbages grown on the insect derived compost are virtually identical to those on the commercial fertilizer. Therefore the insect derived compost will be an ideal substitute to commercial fertilizers.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
• /
• v.51 no.2
• /
• pp.107-113
• /
• 2013

The black soldier fly larvae are able to decompose various organic wastes such as livestock manures and food wastes. We tested whether the quality of the insect derived compost, i.e. larval feces, was comparable to that of a commercial fertilizer. Chemical analysis of Hermetia. illucens compost was suitable as a fertilizer. When the kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) was raised on the culture soil treated with the H. illucens compost, the growth of leaf area, total dry weight and leaf dry weight increased significantly. The H. illucens compost is thought to act as an increasing factor of RGR (relative growth rate) from the beginning of growth and also had a great effect on the relative growth rate throughout the late stage of growth. There is high statistical significance between NAR (net assimilation rate) and RGR (relative growth rate), but no significance between RGR and LAR (leaf assimilation rate) of the treatments. In addition, the treatment of H. illucens compost promoted the thickness of leaves from the beginning of growth and the tendency of thickening leaves from the beginning of growth and the effect continued throughout the late period of growth. When mixed with 50% of H. illucens compost rather than 25%, it showed the greater effect on the plant growth.