A plant ecologist named Dick suggested Eat more insects and their use agricultural waste.
during operation Insect production, we recover exuviae, exoskeletons left after moulting, and excreta. According to an environmental expert, “Faces are food that has not been eaten!”.
The insect droppings Rich in nitrogen. These nutrients are essential to plant growth, but rarely found in soil. So it is added to crops in synthetic fertilizers. The exoskeletons of insects are rich in chitin. This polymer is difficult for most organisms to digest. When exuviae and feces are added to the soil, they promote growth and plant health.
One food system Carousel with virtually zero waste
Apply products frominsect breeding To Cultures Dick and his team described it as an innovative process. would be a step towards food system It is very circular little waste. Insects feed on agricultural waste or food production. Then they provide food to humans.
insects easy to breed, especially when compared to traditional cattle. It takes about 25 kilograms of grass to produce one kilogram of beef. The same amount of grass can be produced more than ten times Insect proteins. 90% of an insect’s body mass is edible, compared to only 40% for a cow.
Insects act as the plant’s bodyguards
However, there is a group of bacteria that can metabolize chitin, according to Dickey. These microbes help plants to be more disease resistance and parasites. The addition of exuviae to the soil increases the numbers of these organisms beneficial bacteria.
The researchers plan to further study the potential of exuviae as a method Pest Control. When an insect attacks a plant, its leaves can produce volatiles that attract pest predators.
“I call this Plant Cry for Help. You are recruiting bodyguards.”
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Dick and his team believe that a similar process can occur through plant roots. By breaking down pathogenic fungi and making the plant resilient to pests, the chitin-digesting microbes in insect waste protect the plant.
Studies have already shown that root-related microbes help plants by protecting them from disease. We are now investigating whether plant roots recruit microbes that help them defend against pests. »
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source : PHYS.ORG
