"As a byproduct of digesting this biomatter, the black soldier fly larvae produce frass, which is essentially insect waste."
"Even with 0% frass, he saw flowering and pod growth in plants potted entirely in Martian soil."
"Mendoza found that exceeding anything greater than 50% frass would destroy the plant's ability to grow but adding 10% frass to the Martian soil was the optimum amount for plant growth."
There's no information on growth rate delta between 0% and 10%.
I expected this article to say that plants do not grow naturally in Martian soil, but that the frass provides sufficient nutrients for them to grow. Instead, I learned that plants do grow in natural (simulated?) Martian soil, that an amendment helps an undefined amount, but that too much of the amendment kills the plants. I didn't find that especially compelling.
Article is better titled: "Peas grow and bear fruit in unmodified Martian soil analog."
Or: "Student finds that adding crap to soil reduces plant growth".
I always thought the whole "can things grow on Mars" had the major impediments: A) no atmosphere, B) too cold, C) the regolith is full of perchlorates. A/B sure, set up a pressurized habitat. And if you're skipping C, then what's even the point of pretending.
It's not surprising that seeds need little more than moisture, earth-like atmosphere, and gentle heat to sprout. They contain all the nutrients and instructions required to start new life.
It's also not surprising that too much frass would inhibit growth. Even in earth-like soil, too much fertilizer is toxic.
But it's good to know that Mars-like soil doesn't inhibit plant growth.
"As a byproduct of digesting this biomatter, the black soldier fly larvae produce frass, which is essentially insect waste."
"Even with 0% frass, he saw flowering and pod growth in plants potted entirely in Martian soil."
"Mendoza found that exceeding anything greater than 50% frass would destroy the plant's ability to grow but adding 10% frass to the Martian soil was the optimum amount for plant growth."
There's no information on growth rate delta between 0% and 10%.
I expected this article to say that plants do not grow naturally in Martian soil, but that the frass provides sufficient nutrients for them to grow. Instead, I learned that plants do grow in natural (simulated?) Martian soil, that an amendment helps an undefined amount, but that too much of the amendment kills the plants. I didn't find that especially compelling.