Optimizing Black Soldier Fly frass fertilizer rates for maize and soybean production in Madagascar

Abstract

In low-yield regions, yield intensification rather than land extensification offers the most efficient pathway to increase production and meet rising food demand. Yet, limited access to fertilizers remains a major constraint on crop productivity. The rapid expansion of insect farming has created a growing supply of an insect-derived organic fertilizer produced during insect rearing (frass); however, guidance on optimal field-scale application rates remains scarce. We conducted a large-scale field experiment in northern Madagascar to quantify yield responses of maize and soybean to Black Soldier Fly ( Hermetia illucens ) frass fertilizer and to identify optimal biophysical and economic application rates. Frass was applied at rates ranging from 0 to 30 t ha -1 . For both crops, we did not identify a fertilizer rate that would maximize yield; instead, dry grain yield always increased with fertilizer rate and approached asymptotic maxima corresponding to 12.0- and 1.7-fold increases relative to unfertilized controls for maize and soybean, respectively. These rates are predicted to produce yields equivalent to 4.6- and 6.7-fold increases over national average yields, respectively. An economic analysis based on the marginal value–cost ratio (MVCR) indicated that the frass price is constrained by the profitability of soybean. Nevertheless, if using the national recommended dose of 3.6 t ha -1 , a retail price of USD 13.8 t -1 would be highly attractive for soybean (MVCR = 3) and even more attractive for maize (MVCR = 5.6). This equates to just 2.2% of the current price of NPK fertilizer. Our results demonstrate that BSF frass can enhance crop yield and profitability in maize and soybean systems. While further research is necessary before these findings can be translated into large-scale application, this study establishes a foundational reference and framework toward achieving that goal. In Madagascar, intensifying maize production systems with organic fertilizers could increase yield and limit habitat destruction. Improved soybean productivity could reduce reliance on importation and diversify smallholder cropping systems. These findings highlight the promise of insect-derived fertilizers as a practical pathway toward sustainable intensification in low-yield agricultural contexts.