A greenhouse test compared surface placement versus incorporation of cricket frass at 3.125, 6.25 and 12.5 t/ha in acidic sandy soil. At the highest rate, incorporation produced 7.16 g shoot dry mass per plant versus 4.78 g for surface placement and 1.70 g for control, with improved nutrients, microbial activity and lower exchangeable acidity.
Key findings
- Incorporating 12.5 t/ha maximised biomass, NH4-N, ammonification, available P and microbial activity while reducing exchangeable acidity. Biomass correlated positively with uptake, P, pH, CEC and ammonification and negatively with Al and acidity. Both placements beat control.
Why this matters globally
Returning insect-production residues to soil may link alternative protein with restoration of degraded tropical soils and nutrient circularity when rate and placement are managed.
Thai researcher contribution
Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat researchers studied tropical acidic sandy soil and Chinese kale in a context directly relevant to Thai farming and the cricket industry.
Limitations to consider
A small-pot greenhouse lacks rainfall, runoff, leaching and field heterogeneity. Correlations are not mechanisms. Repeated-season salt, metal, pathogen and greenhouse-gas effects and transport economics were not assessed.
Verify the original sources
CropsRead the original article↗DOI: 10.3390/crops6040064