Commercial Organic Fertilizer Research Articles

Effect of Acadian Marine Plant Extract Powder (AMPEP) on the growth of the Seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii “Kulisusu“ seedlings cultivated in encircling tanks

Acadian Marine Plant Extract Powder (AMPEP) is a commercial organic fertilizer extract from brown seaweed, Ascophyllum nodosum. This study aimed to examine the effect of different concentrations of AMPEP extract on K. alvarezii “Kulisusu” seedlings. We investigated the daily growth rate (DGR), ratio of wet weight and dry weight (FW: DW ratio), and the survival rate of seedlings in encircling tanks. Concentrations of AMPEP used in this study were 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 g L-1 at 30 min immersion time and without AMPEP as control for a 1-month cultivation period. The results showed that the 0.2 g L-1 of AMPEP showed higher DGR in 6-18 days of culture period (3.43-4.25%/day), the 0.6 g L-1 was higher in the 24 days culture period (3.50%/day), and the 0.8 g L-1 concentration was higher in the 30 days of culture period (3.76%/day). For FW: DW ratio, 0.2 g L-1 of AMPEP concentration showed the highest ratio (8.73:1) and was significantly different from the other treatments (p<0.05). In addition, all treatments showed a high survival rate (>93.33%) with minor variation amongst the treatments (p>0.05). The results concluded that using 0.2 g L-1 of AMPEP in encircling tanks was suitable for seedling development.

Wool Pellets Are a Viable Alternative to Commercial Fertilizer for Organic Vegetable Production

The maintenance of optimum mineral nutrient fertility is a limiting factor in organic vegetable systems, with many growers resorting to applications of off-farm commercial fertilizer inputs. In this study, pelleted sheep’s wool was compared against a standard commercial fertilizer product for effects on productivity and plant growth in spinach and tomato. Two rates of wool pellets were applied; one was standardized to the nitrogen inputs of the ‘grower standard’ commercial treatment, and a second higher rate which was suggested by the pellet manufacturer with about 2.5 times the nitrogen content. Overall, few differences were observed among the fertilized treatments. Crop yield for both tomato and spinach generally increased with increasing fertility application, with no differences between commercial and wool pellet fertilizers applied at the same rate of nitrogen. The uptake of mineral nutrients in spinach plant tissues differed for K, Mg, P, S, B, and Ca, but there was no general trend that could be attributed to a particular treatment. Tomato fruit quality was the same for all treatments, but non-fertilized fruit had lower total polyphenols than the highest-fertility treatment. Overall, wool pellets performed very similarly to commercial organic fertilizer for both crops and could be a promising alternative that may open up opportunities for greater integration of plant and animal systems on diversified farms.

Profiles of tetracycline resistance genes in paddy soils with three different organic fertilizer applications

The rapid expansion of organic rice cultivation areas have been accompanied by increased application of organic fertilizers. The high prevalence of soil antibiotic resistance caused by organic fertilizer application poses a severe threat to the agricultural and soil ecosystems. To date, research efforts and understanding of the effects and mechanism of action of the various organic fertilizers on antibiotic resistance in paddy soils remain poorly investigated. Tetracycline resistance genes (TRGs, including tetB, tetC, tetL, tetZ, tetM, tetO, tetT, and tetX), class 1 integron-integrase gene (intI1) and bacterial communities were characterized using quantitative-PCR and Illumina MiSeq sequencing, in paddy soils exposed to inorganic fertilizer (NPK), animal-derived organic fertilizer (AOF, composted swine and/or chicken manure), plant-derived organic fertilizer (POF, rapeseed cake and/or astragalus) and commercial organic fertilizer (COF, composted of animal manure mix with crop residues) applications. Compared with NPK, AOF applications significantly increased the relative abundance of TRGs, which was predominantly expressed in the increase of the relative abundance of tetC, tetM, tetO, tetT, and tetX, while POF and COF had no significant effect on the relative abundance of TRGs. Principal coordinate analysis revealed that AOF and POF significantly altered bacterial communities in paddy soils relative to NPK, while COF had no significant change of bacterial communities. Variation partitioning analysis indicated that soil physicochemical properties were the decisive factors for the changes of TRGs in organic paddy fields. Furthermore, redundancy analysis and the Mantel test showed that TRG profiles in AOF applied paddy soils were strongly influenced by electrical conductivity (EC). Total nitrogen (TN) and organic matter (OM) affected the distribution of TRGs in COF and POF applied paddy soils through a different mechanism. This study provides insights into the impacts of different types of organic fertilizer on the profiles of TRGs in paddy soils.

Prevalent and highly mobile antibiotic resistance genes in commercial organic fertilizers.

Compost-based organic fertilizers made from animal manures may contain high levels of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). However, the factors affecting the abundance and profile of ARGs in organic fertilizers remain unclear. We conducted a national-wide survey in China to investigate the effect of material type and composting process on ARG abundance in commercial organic fertilizers and quantified the contributions of bacterial composition and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) to the structuring of ARGs, using quantitative PCR and Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons. The tetracycline, sulfonamide, aminoglycoside and macrolide resistance genes were present at high levels in all organic fertilizers. Seven ARGs that confer resistance to clinically important antibiotics, including three β-lactam resistance genes, three quinolone resistance genes and the colistin resistance gene mcr-1, were detected in 8 - 50% the compost samples, whereas the vancomycin resistance gene vanC was not detected. Raw material type had a significant (p<0.001) effect on the ARG abundance, with composts made from animal feces except some cattle feces generally having higher loads of ARGs than those from non-animal raw materials. Composting process type showed no significant (p>0.05) effect on ARG abundance in the organic fertilizers. MGEs exerted a greater influence on ARG composition than bacterial community, suggesting a strong mobility of ARGs in the organic fertilizers. Our study highlights the need to manage the risk of ARG dissemination from agricultural wastes.

Effects of Soil Amelioration and Vegetation Introduction on the Restoration of Abandoned Coal Mine Spoils in South Korea

In order to ecologically restore coal mine spoils, tolerant species were selected through vegetation surveys on the abandoned coal mine spoils and natural forests established on the poor environment similarly to there. In addition, tolerant species were selected through cultivation experiments in the laboratory. Many C4 plants were included among the tolerant species selected through cultivation experiments. Soil was ameliorated by applying commercial organic fertilizer that can improve both physical and chemical properties of soil at the same time. Vegetation introduced for restoration was prepared by combining plant species tolerant to the degraded environment of coal mine spoils and the reference information. The treatment with a soil ameliorator improved the chemical properties of soil, such as the pH and nutrient contents, and promoted the growth of sample plants significantly. However, additional improvements were required compared with the chemical properties of healthy forest soil. The sites restored by ameliorating soil and introducing tolerant species showed a more similar species composition to the reference sites compared with the afforested and non-restored sites in both lowland and upland areas. However, such restoration did not play a significant role in increasing species diversity or excluding exotic plants. In this respect, more active restoration is recommended.

Effect of Type and Concentration of Liquid Organic Fertilizer on Growth and Yield of Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L) is a plant that is well known in the wider community. The demand for eggplant is currently increasing. In 2017-2018, eggplant production increased, although it did not meet market demand. One of the causes of eggplant yields not sufficient to market demands is not appropiate of cultivation technique. One of the efforts that can be made to increase the productivity of eggplant is the use of liquid organic fertilizer and the right concentration. The purpose of the research was to find out the effect of liquid organic fertilizer and concentration on the growth and yield of eggplant. The research was conducted on the field of Kenanten village, Puri district, Mojokerto in March 2020 – June 2020. The research is arranged using a Completely Randomized Factorial Design with two factors, firstly the type of liquid organic fertilizer (P) consisting of P0 = Control; P1 = Commercial Liquid Organic Fertilizer; P2 = Kelanalagi Liquid Organic Fertilizer; P3 = Compost tea and concentration (K) consisting of K1 = 4 ml/l water; K2 = 6 ml/l water; K3 = 8 ml/l water. The result showed that there was no interaction between the type of liquid organic fertilizer and the concentration of all observation parameters

Parasitic threat in commercial organic fertilizers

The use of fertilizers based on sewage sludge is common practice. Due to the possible presence of pathogens and eggs of intestinal parasites like Ascaris sp., Toxocara sp., and Trichuris sp. in these products, it is necessary to control them. The aim of the study was to determine the presence of parasite eggs in commercial organic fertilizers available on the market. Selected commercial products were tested using the Quinn flotation method and a method dedicated to the study of dewatered sewage sludge. Assessment of the viability of helminth eggs was carried out on the basis of staining with calcein and propidium iodide. In 57% of the tested samples, the presence of live eggs of the abovementioned parasites was detected, and in 21% of samples, the eggs with live larvae were detected. Eggs of Trichuris sp. (50%) and Ascaris sp. (36%) were the most common. The obtained results clearly indicate that the process of hygienization of the sewage sludge before the production of fertilizers was not effective enough and it is necessary to standardize the prophylaxis against the spread of parasitic nematodes in commercially available products.

Interactions between lead(II) ions and dissolved organic matter derived from organic fertilizers incubated in the field

This work was to study composition characteristics and the subsequent effect on the lead (Pb) binding properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM) derived from seaweed-based (SWOF) and chicken manure organic fertilizers (CMOF) during a one-year field incubation experiment using the excitation-emission matrix-parallel factor (EEM-PARAFAC) and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2DCOS) analysis. Results showed that high aromatic and hydrophobic fluorescent substances were enriched in CMOF-derived DOM and SWOF-derived DOM and enhanced over time. And phenolic groups in the fulvic-like substances for SWOF-derived DOM and carboxyl groups in the humic-like substances for CMOF-derived DOM had the fastest responses over time, respectively. Moreover, both non-fluorescent polysaccharides and fluorescent humic-like substances or fulvic-like substances with aromatic (C=C) groups first participated in the binding process of Pb to SWOF-derived DOM on day 0 and 180 during the lead binding process. In contrast, humic-like substances associated with aromatic (C=C) and phenolic groups gave a faster response to Pb binding on day 360. Regarding CMOF-derived DOM, the fulvic-like substances associated with aromatic (C=C) and carboxylic groups displayed a faster response to Pb ions on day 0. Nonetheless, polysaccharides and humic-like associated with phenolic groups had a faster response on days 180 and 360. It is noteworthy that the polysaccharides, which participated in Pb binding to CMOF-derived DOM, posed a higher risk of Pb in the environment after 360 days. Therefore, these findings gave new insights into the long-term applications of commercial organic fertilizers for the amendment of soil.

Stabilization of Zinc in Agricultural Soil Originated from Commercial Organic Fertilizer by Natural Zeolite.

Exploring ways to reduce the risk of heavy metal pollution by organic fertilizer application is of vital importance. In the present study, by conducting a pot experiment, natural zeolite was applied together with pig manure based organic fertilizer to agricultural soil in order to test its possibility of reducing the risk of heavy metals originating from pig manure. The results showed that a low rate of organic fertilizer (10%) application increased the biomass of Chinese cabbage (by 57.2%), while a high rate of organic fertilizer (30%) decreased the biomass of Chinese cabbage (by 46.16%), and meanwhile a 3% zeolite addition increased the biomass of Chinese cabbage which was treated with 30% organic fertilizer. The organic fertilizer addition decreased soil pH and increased soil CEC, while zeolite addition increased soil pH and decreased the soil organic matter content. The concentration of Zn in Chinese cabbage shoots increased with the organic fertilizer addition from 4.46% to 48.27%, while the addition of 1% and 3% zeolite significantly decreased Zn in Chinese cabbage shoots by 15.53% and 14.08%, respectively. The concentration of DPTA-extractable and DGT-extractable Zn of soil was increased by organic fertilizer application, whereas zeolite addition decreased the concentration of DPTA-extractable and DGT-extractable Zn in soil treated with organic fertilizer. Our present study suggests that natural zeolite application could be a promising method to reduce the risk of heavy metals originating from organic fertilizers.

Greenhouse Assays with Lactuca sativa for Testing Sewage Sludge-Based Soil Amendments

Sustainable agriculture practices within the guidelines of nutrient recycling and the circular economy must be increasingly promoted. This work aims to evaluate the performance of dried sewage sludge (DSS), green liquor dregs mixed with sewage sludge (DSSA), raw sewage sludge, and commercial organic fertilizer control, using a short-term agronomic assessment with lettuce crop (Lactuca sativa) in greenhouse conditions. Different application rates based on the nitrogen content were tested for each soil amendment: 0, 85, 170, and 225 kg N/ha (treatments T0, T1, T2, and T3, respectively). DSS and DSSA resulted in fresh lettuce productivities 1.3 and 3.2 times higher in T3 than in T0, respectively. The ideal N content in lettuce leaves was reached for all materials and treatments, with the highest values obtained for DSS (2.88–3.33% from T1 to T3). Lettuce produced in soils amended with DSS and DSSA showed also ideal levels of Ca. Overall, the performance of sludge-based products was similar to commercial fertilizer, without impairing the nutritional balance of the crop and the soil.

Occurrence and Distribution of Microplastics (Mps) in Commercial Organic Fertilizers in China

Occurrence and Distribution of Microplastics (Mps) in Commercial Organic Fertilizers in China

Zeowine: The synergy of zeolite and compost. Effects on the physiology of the vine and on the quality of the grapes

The trial aims to improve the protection and management of the soil, the well-being of the plant and the quality of production in the wine supply chain organic and biodynamic, using an innovative product “ZEOWINE” resulting from the composting of waste of the wine and zeolite supply chain. At present, the use of zeolites in agriculture is a fast-spreading practice; their application to soils (both as natural zeolites and in combination with organic and mineral fertilizers) not only increases production but also leads to the exaltation of quality indices. The research was conducted in the 2019 season in San Miniato (Tuscany) on the vineyard of Sangiovese in production, performing the following inter-row treatments at the beginning of January: commercial organic fertilizer, zeolite (clinopthylolite) and zeowine (combination zeolite and compost obtained through grape processing waste) in the respective doses of 20 t/ha, 10 t/ha and 30 t/ha. Following the treatment, we measured gas exchanges and water potential, berry weight, °Brix, pH, acidity, total and extractable anthocyanins and polyphenols. Treatments with Zeowine and zeolites reduced water stress. In Zeowine treatment, soluble solids were lower, while acidity, pH and berry weight do not vary from control. Statistical differences are also noted in the concentrations of anthocyanins and polyphenols. Results suggest a positive impact of Zeowine treatment on physiology and quality characteristics in V. vinifera.

Biochar and Animal Manures Increased Yield of Three Varieties of Turnips

Biochar, a product of incineration of biomass is proposed for use as a soil amendment (SA) to enhance soil water holding capacity, increase soil microbial community, and plant nutrients availability. We studied the effect of six SA (sewage sludge SS, horse manure HM, chicken manure CM, vermicompost Vermi, commercial inorganic fertilizer (19N-19P-19K), commercial organic fertilizer (Nature Safe 10N-2P-8K), and biochar added to SA on the root, shoot, and plant weight of three varieties of field-grown turnips (Purple Top White Globe PTWG, Scarlet Queen Red SQR, and Tokyo Cross TC. Regardless of SA type used in this investigation, results revealed that varieties grown in soil treated with biochar had significantly greater root, shoot, and plant weight compared to similar varieties grown in SA not treated with biochhar. SQR significantly increased turnip yield compared to PTWG and TC varieties Overall turnip shoot, root, and plant weight obtained from CM amended soil not treated with biochar was significantly greater (295.9, 524.4, and 820.3 g, respectively) compared to yield obtained from the no-amendment (NM) control treatments (147.3, 242.5, and 389.8 g, respectively). Biochar added to SS, Org, Vermi, and HM significantly increased plant weight from 522.3, 482.5, 476.5, and 450.2 g to 737.5, 701.9, 673.3, and 640.8 g, respectively. This increase represents 41, 46, 41, and 42% increase in plant weight, respectively due to the addition of biochar. Regardless of biochar application to growing plants, variety SQR is recommend for growing turnips in CM amended soil. Substitution of inorganic fertilizer by animal manure mixed with biochar may help limited-resource farmers in growing turnips at affordable costs.

Effects of fertiliser application and shading on pomological properties and chemical composition of Aronia melanocarpa fruit in organic production

ABSTRACT Agronomic and chemical parameters of chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) with respect to the effects of different rates of fertiliser and of net shading were evaluated in a plantation that was in the fifth and sixth year of cultivation. Two commercial organic fertilisers, Fertor and Siforga, were applied at four rates (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 t ha−1), and shading was applied with two types of green polyethylene shading nets, retaining 30% and 50% of sunlight, respectively. Among the pomological characteristics, the clearest difference was observed for the number of clusters, which, in the second year, was significantly increased by both factors. The number of clusters was shown to have the highest correlation with the yield of berries. In the first year, only the higher rates of fertilisation affected the yields, but in the second year, the yields were significantly increased by all of the fertiliser treatments, compared with the control. For metabolic parameters such as dry matter, soluble solids, titratable acidity, sugars and ascorbic acid, the effects of the treatments were inconsistent. Only the highest rates of the fertilisers and the dark net had significant positive effects on the total phenolics. The concentrations of hyperoside in fruit from the shaded shrubs were significantly higher than in the control, with a similar pattern also for isoquercetin, but only for the dark net. Concentrations of the other individual phenolic compounds differed only slightly.

Glasshouse Evaluation of the Black Soldier Fly Waste Product HexaFrass™ as an Organic Fertilizer

Simple SummaryIn recent years farmers have relied on highly efficient synthetic nitrogen fertilizers to achieve increased yields. However, the extensive application of nitrogen-based fertilizers is now associated with several negative impacts on the environment, such as pollution of waterways and eutrophication of lakes and estuaries. To promote more sustainable food production, less environmentally damaging methods of adding nutrients and organic matter to soils are needed. One potential organic fertilizer has arisen recently as a by-product of insect farming. Mass production of the black soldier fly (BSF; Hermetia illucens L.) results in the production of waste or frass, which is high in organic matter and contains essential plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. In this study, it was found that one such product, HexaFrass™, improved the shoot and root growth of several herb and vegetable plants when grown under glasshouse conditions, and had similar effects to other commonly-used organic fertilizers, such as chicken manure pellets. As HexaFrass™ is a waste by-product, and the BSF are themselves raised on other food or organic wastes, the use of BSF frass has good potential as a sustainable, more environmentally-friendly, organic soil amendment.The mass farming of the black soldier fly (BSF; Hermetia illucens L.), to produce insect-based feed for livestock and fish, results in considerable amounts of insect frass, which contains substantial amounts of organic matter and bioavailable nutrients. Insect frass has shown good potential as a soil amendment and organic fertilizer. This study examined the effects of HexaFrass™ on the growth of common vegetables and herbs under glasshouse conditions. In an organically-rich potting mix, HexaFrass™ increased shoot dry weight by an average of 25%, although this effect was variable among test plants. In other trials, application of HexaFrass™ caused an increase in plant growth similar to that obtained by applying chicken manure and a commercial organic fertilizer. Increases in shoot and root dry weight showed quadratic relationships with HexaFrass™ dose, indicating that application of excessive quantities could lead to plant inhibition. Shoot:root dry matter ratio tended to increase with HexaFrass™ dose suggesting there was no specific stimulation or enhancement of root growth. Overall, these results provide further evidence of the potential of insect frass as an effective organic fertilizer for vegetables and herbs.

Agronomic and Environmental Performances of On-Farm Compost Production and Application in an Organic Vegetable Rotation

Horticultural crops produce huge amounts of wastes due to the large difference between total and marketable yields, and plant residues. The biological stabilization and sanitization of these organic materials directly on-farm through a simple technique such as composting may be a feasible and sustainable management strategy. The objectives of this research were to (i) estimate the sustainability and the energy impact of the on-farm composting process; (ii) to evaluate the agronomic performance and sustainability of the compost application, compared to a commercial organic fertilizer; and (iii) to identify the management and environmental hotspots. To accomplish these aims, a composting process was set up and monitored using the organic wastes and residues produced in the experimental farm. The compost produced was compared to a commercial organic fertilizer in combination with the use of cover crops in the rotation, in a two-year pepper cultivation. All processes were assessed using an energy analysis and a carbon stocks and emissions evaluation. Our findings point out that the composting process on-farm was environmentally sustainable in terms of energy consumption and carbon emissions and produced a good quality fertilizer. The use of this compost determined the best agronomic performance, especially when it was combined with other agro-ecological techniques. The yield values were slightly higher and statistically comparable with the commercial fertilizer ones. Moreover, the treatments that included the compost were most energy efficient and showed the best compromise between C emissions and C stocks.

Analysis of macro nutrient content in biofouling waste organic fertilizer pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima L.)

Biofouling development is a major problem in bilvave aquaculture around the world. The purpose of this study was to obtain macro nutrient analysis data for organic fertilizer from pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima L) biofouling waste. Where is the manufacture of solid organic fertilizer products that have quality equivalent to other commercial organic fertilizers by utilizing pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima L.) biofouling waste so that high quality solid organic fertilizers are produced which are in accordance with the Quality Standards for solid organic fertilizers and the Indonesian National Standard. Organic fertilizer from pearl oyster biofouling waste is obtained by using pearl oyster biofouling waste which is taken from the results of cleaning microorganisms attached to the pearl oyster shell area. Another major concern regarding biofouling is the potential for food competition caused by the attachment of the filter-feeder. Besides, the waste of biofouling pearl oysters is extracted and soaked in fresh water for one week at a time. Afterward, the pearl oyster biofouling waste is dried in the sun to dry, odorless, blackish brown in color. Analysis of macro nutrient content using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer and UV-Vis Spectrophotometer. The results of the analysis of macro nutrient content were Water Content (5.76%), C (14.48%), Organic Matter (24%), N-total (0.92%), P-total (0, 25%), K-total (1.02%), C/N ratio (15.72).

Economic and ecological values of frass fertiliser from black soldier fly agro-industrial waste processing

The sustainable utilisation of black soldier fly (BSF) for recycling organic waste into high-quality protein feed and organic fertiliser with a low environmental footprint is gaining momentum worldwide. Although BSF farming is becoming a rapidly growing agribusiness, studies on the BSF farming’s economic aspects are limited. This study analysed the economic benefits of farming BSF for animal feeds and composted frass, called frass fertiliser (FF) production using experimental data. The BSF larvae were fed on brewery spent grain amended with sawdust, biochar, and gypsum to determine the cost-effective feed and other by-products production. The agronomic performance of FF on the maize crop was assessed using field experiments. Our results demonstrated that sourcing and preparing the waste substrate for rearing the BSF larvae accounts for 81-90% of the total BSF production cost. The utilisation of FF as an additional value-added product would increase farmer’s net income by 5-15 folds compared to BSF farming alone. Feedstock amended with 20% biochar increased net income by 10-64% for BSF larvae and FF production than other feedstocks. Production of one megagram (Mg) of dried BSF larvae (USD 900) would generate 10-34 Mg of FF worth USD 3,000-10,200. Maize grown on plots treated with FF yielded 29-44% higher net income than maize harvested from plots amended with commercial organic fertiliser. Furthermore, smallholder insect farmers’ direct use of FF for maize production would generate 30-232% higher net income than farmers purchasing similar FF. Our results demonstrate for the first time the role of insect farming in circular economy and justify the opportunities for future investments that would lead to enhanced sustainability for agricultural and food systems, especially for smallholder farmers in low- and middle-income countries.

Estimating the catechin concentrations of new shoots in green tea fields using ground-based hyperspectral imagery

Hyperspectral imagery was applied to estimating non-galloyl (EC, EGC) and galloyl (ECG, EGCG) types of catechins in new shoots of green tea. Partial least squares regression models were developed to consider the effects of commercial fertilizer (CF) and organic fertilizer (OF). The models could explain each type of catechin with a precision of more than 0.79, with a few exceptions. When the CF model was applied to the OF hyperspectral reflectance and the OF model was applied to the CF hyperspectral reflectance for mutual prediction, the prediction accuracy was better with the OF models than CF models. The prediction models using both CF and OF data (hyperspectral reflectances, and concentrations of catechins) had a precision of more than 0.76 except for the non-galloyl-type catechins as a group and EGC alone. These results provide useful data for maintaining and improving the quality of green tea.

Performance of black soldier fly frass fertiliser on maize (Zea mays L.) growth, yield, nutritional quality, and economic returns

Although the black soldier fly frass fertiliser (BSFFF) is globally recognised as a promising and potential high-quality organic fertiliser, there is inadequate information on its impact on the growth performance and nutritional status of maize. Furthermore, no information exist on their combination with mineral fertiliser (NPK) as well as economic impact on maize production. This study evaluated the comparative impact of BSFFF, NPK and commercial organic fertiliser (Evergrow®) on growth, nitrogen use efficiency, yield, nutritional quality, and profitability of maize under greenhouse conditions. The treatments included: (1) sole application of BSFFF, conventional compost of brewers’ spent grain (BSG), Evergrow, and NPK at rates equivalent to 100 kg nitrogen (N) per hectare; (2) BSFFF and BSG combined with NPK so that each fertiliser supplies 50% of the N required; and (3) the control (unamended soil). Our findings revealed that BSFFF increased maize grain yield at higher rates: 2-25, 25-113 and 153-212% than NPK, BSG and Evergrow, respectively. Similarly, the BSF frass application led to higher maize growth and yield than the control treatment. The agronomic N use efficiency of maize grown using BSFFF was 2 and 3 times higher compared to that of BSG and Evergrow, respectively. Maize grown using BSFFF and NPK had higher crude protein and crude fibre content compared to the other treatments. The net income generated from the commercialisation of maize grown using a combination of BSFFF and NPK was 2, 163 and 173% higher than those achieved using sole NPK, mixture of BSG and NPK, and sole BSFFF, respectively. Our results imply that developing and promoting BSFFF alone or in integration with NPK can enhance the food security and livelihoods of smallholders, while safeguarding planetary health.