Insect frass and exuviae to promote plant growth and health

Katherine Y. Barragán-fonseca, Azkia Nurfikari, Els M. Van De Zande, Max Wantulla, Joop J.A. Van Loon, Wietse De Boer, Marcel Dicke*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

85 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Beneficial soil microorganisms can contribute to biocontrol of plant pests and diseases, induce systemic resistance (ISR) against attackers, and enhance crop yield. Using organic soil amendments has been suggested to stimulate the abundance and/or activity of beneficial indigenous microbes in the soil. Residual streams from insect farming (frass and exuviae) contain chitin and other compounds that may stimulate beneficial soil microbes that have ISR and biocontrol activity. Additionally, changes in plant phenotype that are induced by beneficial microorganisms may directly influence plant–pollinator interactions, thus affecting plant reproduction. We explore the potential of insect residual streams derived from the production of insects as food and feed to promote plant growth and health, as well as their potential benefits for sustainable agriculture.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)646-654
JournalTrends in Plant Science
Volume27
Issue number7
Early online date2 Mar 2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2022

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