Effectiveness of the Use of Vermicompost Larvae of the Black Lion Fly (<i>Hermetia illucens</i>) when Germinating Seeds of Leguminous Crops

Abstract

The most promising and popular insect in the field of organic waste processing is the black lion fly (Hermetia illucens), whose larvae are unpretentious in food and growing conditions. As a feed, most types of organic waste are suitable for them, which, after being digested by the larva, are enriched with various nutrients and microorganisms useful for the growth and development of plants. Larval excrement is a valuable and environmentally friendly organic fertilizer (biohumus) for growing plants. In order to test the effectiveness of the effect of biohumus of black lion larvae on the process of seed germination in laboratory conditions, liquid extracts of biohumus were obtained by extraction with distilled water and compounds of potassium hydroxide (KOH) and sodium pyrophosphate (Na4P2O7). The most effective extraction method turned out to be the method of treatment with alkali and sodium pyrophosphate, in which the most concentrated extract with a concentration of 2.44% was obtained. All types of extracts of vermicompost have been biotested for germination of seeds of seed peas (Pisum sativum L.) and white lupin (Lupinus albus L.). Compared with the indicators of the control variants with distilled water, all extracts of vermicompost had a stimulating effect on seed germination, accelerating their growth and development. The highest rates were observed in solutions of alkaline pyrophosphate extract with a pH value of 6.7–6.8 at concentrations of 0.01 and 0.05%.