Abstract
Abstract The demand for sustainable agriculture has driven a shift toward organic soil amendments as alternatives to conventional fertilizers. Black soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF) has emerged as a promising organic input; however, its comparative effects on crop productivity and soil health compared to other organic fertilizers remain underexplored. This study aimed to assess the comparative effects of BSFFF and vermicompost (VC) on crop performance, soil organic carbon (SOC), and nutrient dynamics. A greenhouse experiment was conducted at Quzhou Experimental Station, China Agricultural University, using a split-plot design. Fertilizer types (BSFFF, VC, and NPK) were assigned to main plots, while nitrogen application rates (0, 0.045, 0.09, and 0.135 g N kg⁻¹) were sub-plots. All treatments were replicated five times. The experiment spanned two cropping seasons with maize (Zea mays) in the first and wheat (Triticum aestivum) in the second. The results revealed that BSFFF consistently enhanced plant growth, biomass, and grain yield compared to VC, and significantly outperformed NPK. Maize treated with BSFFF produced 3.8% more biomass than VC and 23.5% more than NPK, while wheat grain yield was 5.2% and 39.4% higher than VC and NPK, respectively. BSFFF also increased total N, SOC, available phosphorus (P) and available potassium (K), underscoring its role in nutrient cycling and soil fertility. This study highlights BSFFF as a sustainable alternative to synthetic fertilizers, offering both immediate productivity benefits and long-term soil fertility maintenance. Its adoption can reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers and promote sustainable agriculture, contributing to global food security through waste recycling.