# Farmed Insect Frass as a Future Organic Fertilizer
## 3 Results and Discussion
### Quantitative Assessment of Groups of Functional Microorganisms
 & \(10.73\) & \(14.15\) & \(6.71\) & \(5.84\) & \(8.52\) & \(5.84\) & \(9.29\) & \(6.56\) & \(7.31\) & \(8.36\) \\  & & & & \multicolumn{4}{c}{Difference (log\({}_{10}\))} & & & & \\
0 & \(-0.14\  
_nosZ_ gene in peat, whereas urea at higher rates significantly decreased its abundance. The average abundance of the _amoA_ gene increased significantly with increasing N rates, and it was significantly higher in acid peat fertilized with urea than frans. Only frans at the lowest N rate significantly increased the number of _amoA_ gene copies compared with urea. In turn, the number of _ure_C gene copies increased to 100 mg N dm\({}^{-3}\) and decreased significantly, even relative to the control treatment. The load of the _ure_C gene was significantly higher in peat incubated with frans than urea (\(p<0.0001\)). The abundance of ureolytic bacteria decreased in acid peat incubated with urea in response to increasing N rates. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Fertilizer**} & \multicolumn{6}{c}{**Nitrogen Rates (mg dm\({}^{-3}\))**} & \multirow{2}{*}{**Mean**} \\ \cline{2-6}  & **0** & **50** & **100** & **200** & **400** \\ \hline \hline \multicolumn{6}{c}{Total bacteria (log\({}_{10}\))} \\ \hline Frans & _10.87 c_ & _11.08 ab_ & _11.12 a_ & _10.96 b_ & _10.82 c_ & 10.97 \\ Urea & 10.87 a & 10.82 ab & 10.91 a & 10.81 ab & 10.67 b & 10.82 \\ Significant & ns & ** & ** & * & * & *** \\ Mean & 10.87 B & 10.94 AB & 11.01 A & 10.89 B & 10.75 C & \\ \hline \hline \multicolumn{6}{c}{Total fungi (log\({}_{10}\))} \\ \hline Frans & _14.23 b_ & _13.40 c_ & _13.40 c_ & _14.96 a_ & _15.05 a_ & 14.21 \\ Urea & 14.23 a & 14.07 b & 14.13 b & 14.09 b & 13.92 c & 14.09 \\ Significant & ns & ** & *** & *** & *** & *** \\ Mean & 14.23 B & 13.73 C & 13.76 C & 14.53 A & 14.49 A & \\ \hline \hline \multicolumn{6}{c}{_Clostritium_ spp. (log\({}_{10}\))} \\ \hline Frans & _6.61 c_ & _6.54 d_ & _6.62 c_ & _6.83 b_ & _7.93 a_ & 6.91 \\ Urea & 6.61 c & 6.80 a & 6.67 b & 6.57 c & 6.73 ab & 6.68 \\ Significant & ns & * & ns & ** & *** & *** \\ Mean & 6.61 B & 6.67 B & 6.65 B & 6.70 B & 7.33 A & \\ \hline \hline \multicolumn{6}{c}{_Pseudomonas_ spp. (log\({}_{10}\))} \\ \hline Frans & _5.97 c_ & _6.79 b_ & _7.04 a_ & _7.23 a_ & _7.10 a_ & 6.83 \\ Urea & 5.97 a & 4.96 b & 4.91 b & 4.79 b & 4.39 c & 5.01 \\ Significant & ns & *** & *** & *** & *** & *** \\ Mean & 5.97 AB & 5.88 B & 5.97 AB & 6.01 A & 5.75 C & \\ \hline \hline \multicolumn{6}{c}{_Bacillus_ spp. (log\({}_{10}\))} \\ \hline Frans & _8.43 ab_ & _8.11 c_ & _8.19 bc_ & _8.26 b_ & _8.47 a_ & 8.29 \\ Urea & 8.43 a & 8.27 c & 8.31 b & 8.36 b & 8.40 a & 8.35 \\ Significant & ns & * & * & * & * & * \\ Mean & 8.43 A & 8.19 B & 8.25 B & 8.31 AB & 8.44 A & \\ \hline \hline \multicolumn{6}{c}{_chiH_ (log\({}_{10}\))} \\ \hline Frans & _5.78 a_ & _5.39 b_ & _5.80 a_ & _5.47 ab_ & _5.41 b_ & 5.57 \\ Urea & 5.78 a & 5.50 c & 5.59 bc & 5.63 b & 5.34 d & 5.57 \\ Significant & ns & * & ** & * & ns & ns \\ Mean & 5.78 A & 5.45 D & 5.70 B & 5.55 C & 5.38 D & \\ \hline \multicolumn{6}{c}{_nif_H (log\({}_{10}\))} \\ \hline Frans & _9.15 c_ & _9.27 b_ & _9.48 a_ & _9.11 c_ & _8.89 d_ & 9.18 \\ Urea & 9.15 a & 9.02 b & 9.14 a & 9.04 b & 8.83 c & 9.03 \\ Significant & ns & *** & *** & *** & *** \\ Mean & 9.15 B & 9.14 B & 9.31 A & 9.07 C & 8.86 D & \\ \hline \hline \multicolumn{6}{c}{_nosZ_ (log\({}_{10}\))} \\ \hline Frans & _6.59 d_ & _6.77 b_ & _6.89 a_ & _6.61 c_ & _6.58 d_ & 6.69 \\ Urea & 6.59 a & 6.55 a & 6.54 a & 6.45 b & 6.35 c & 6.50 \\ Significant & ns & *** & *** & *** & *** \\ Mean & 6.59 C & 6.66 B & 6.72 A & 6.53 D & 6.47 E & \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 6: Loads of functional genes in acid peat incubated with frans or urea. A comparison between the baseline and post-incubation microbiological parameters in acid peat revealed diverse effects of the tested fertilizers on the growth of _Pseudomonas_ spp. The growth of this bacterial genus was inhibited by frass but stimulated by urea. Lower frass rates also inhibited ureolytic bacteria.