Insect Frass

Yesterday I bought a 2lb bag of Insect Frass at Greenfire.  Currently the ladybugs are doing a fine job of eating aphids, but Ill be prepared if the aphids or any other harmful bugs begin to get the upper hand.
 

Insect Frass naturally contains the nutrition plants require, beneficial micro-organisms, and the only immediately plant-available source of chitin (pronounced “Kite-in”). Chitin fortifies a plant from the inside out, causing an "auto-immune" response that signals a plant to produce natural toxins which fend off its natural enemies like pests and fungal pathogens. The EPA says that chitin and chitosan defend against botrytis (grey mold), powdery mildew, early and late blight, fungal pathogens in the root zone (root rot) and root-feeding nematodes.

Frass is made up of both insect exoskeletons and insect poop.  It triggers a plant’s immune-response-system causing the plant to defend itself from pests and pathogens, and it is also a superb fungal food which can be substituted for fish hydrolysate.

Im looking forward to using it this season as an addition to my compost tea, and as a foliar spray. 
This will be my first time using insect frass, and I will be sure to update this post as I learn more. 
Read more:  http://www.gardenteacompany.com/insect-frass-2-lb/


 APPLICATIONS:
(For best results use de-chlorinated or R/O water in all instances)
TRANSPLANTING – Add a pinch of Frass and Mycorrhizae to your transplant site to accelerate mycorrhizae and root development.
HYDRO – Add 2 Cups per 30 Gallons water (strain for drip systems)
Add directly to reservoir for Ebb & Flow or Flood to Drain systems
SOIL / COCO – Pre-Mix 1 Cup per Cubic Foot of loose soil/coco prior to planting (less than 1% by volume) which lasts until end of Week 3. Root Drench or Top Dress beginning Week 4.
ROOT DRENCH / TOP DRESS – Add ½ Cup Frass per Gallon water and Root Drench, or Sprinkle over root zone and water in thoroughly.
FOLIAR FEED – Add 1 TBSP per Gallon water (1 TSP per Quart), shake and let sit for 30 minutes, then apply. Its not 100% soluble so either strain, or for best results, mix in a separate container, let solids settle to the bottom and top-fill sprayer. Weekly, beginning Week 3.
COMPOST TEA – Add 1 Cup Frass per 15 Gallons of Tea to achieve Fungal Dominance.
KILL FUNGUS GNATS – Add ½ Cup per Gallon water, shake and let sit for 30 minutes, then Root Drench. Repeat every 3 weeks.
Go to www.OnFrass.com for more application instructions and FAQs
BENEFITS:
NUTRIENTS
– Contains ALL Macro and Micro nutrients, including Silica
– Can be used as an organic base or additive
– Organic P-K Boost, with No Nitrates
– Organic Nitrogen improves nutrient uptake & PSM’s
– Use Foliarly to feed nutrients directly to leaf tissue
BENEFICIAL MICRO-ORGANISMS (bacteria, fungi and protozoa)
– 6+ TRILLION cfu/gm; no other biologic source comes close
– 100 Billion Fungi spores per gram
– Every Beneficial Bacteria group available
– Highest amounts of Protozoa (Amoebae) available
– Use Foliarly for prevent Downey Mildew, Botrytis & PM
INSECT CHITIN
– Chitin stimulates the plant’s auto-immune system to create plant
secondary metabolites (PSMs or “exudates”) such as Chitinase
Enzyme, Terpenes, Flavinoids, Alkaloids and Amino Acids,
which protect plants from Pests and Pathogens
– The absolute best Fungal Food for Compost Teas
– Works exceptionally well with Mycorrhizae
– Prevents/Kills Root Rot (fungal pathogens in the rhizosphere)
– Kills Root-Feeding Nematodes and their eggs
FINISH 4 -17 DAYS EARLY – When using Frass from start to finish

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IMO Frass

Indigenous Microorganisms and Effective Microorganisms are used in Korean gardening methods where bacteria is fermented and grown, along with other beneficial organisms for the benefit of the gardens soil web and to stimulate the plants natural defenses. 

My reason for culturing the microorganisms found in frass is to create suppressive isolates; then colonize the rhizosphere with nonspecific fungal antagonists and initiate a systemic acquired resistance (SAR) to fortify the plants defenses by triggering a hypersensitive response.  I will also attempt to artificially trigger SAR by spraying this homemade plant activator on the foliage in hope of growing plants highly resistant to a broad range of pathogens.

The video above shows the first step of my IMO Frass experiment.  

I will include more videos as I progress

I attempted to find other studies involving frass.  The research papers

Biological control of Sclerotinia minor using a chitinolytic bacterium and actinomycetes 

and

An Overview of Plant Defenses against Pathogens and Herbivores

were the only ones that even came close so Im including these links for those who wish to go deeper.
The basic idea came about when I began to research Indigenous Micro Organisms - IMO and Bakashi Effective Microorganisms.  Below is a collection of video links to the material I watched
     IMO Farming part 1

Korean Natural Farming - IMO Part 1
Korean Natural Farming - IMO Part 2
Korean Natural Farming - IMO Part 3

Bryan McGrath created the series above.  I have summarized his method below.
IMO 1 - Start local indigenous micro organisms on hard cooked rice.  Cover with inoculate such as grass, bamboo or leaves.
IMO 2 - Mix 50/50 by weight with brown sugar.
IMO 3 - Mix with wheat bran and flour.  Mix 3 parts water to 1 part IMO 2. Combine this with 12 lb wheat bran and 1 cup flour till moist but not soaked.  Let compost till cool and clumped with mycillium.
IMO 4 - Mix with soil or bakashi compost.  1:1 ratio.

Another source of information comes from SQWworm Sosiety   Bryan McGrath is also featured in on this site but the methods are slightly different

http://sqworms.weebly.com/imo-indigenous-microorganisms.html

Im basing this experiment on information from 
http://www.onfrass.com/docs/One%20sheet_Applications%20and%20Benefits.pdf
where I found this:

INSECT CHITIN–Chitin stimulates the plant’s auto-immune system to create plant secondary metabolites(PSMsor“exudates”)such asChitinase Enzyme,Terpenes, Flavinoids,Alkaloids and Amino Acids,which protect plantsfrom Pests and Pathogens–The absolute best Fungal Food for Compost Teas–Works exceptionally well with Mycorrhizae–Prevents/Kills Root Rot (fungal pathogens in the rhizosphere)–Kills Root-Feeding Nematodes and their eggs

Chitinases are enzymes that catalyze the degradation of chitin

Chitin stimulates the plants auto-immune system to create plant secondary metabolite s (PSM s or “exudates ”) such as Chitinase Enzyme, Terpenes, Flavinoids, Alkaloids and Amino Acids, which protect plants from Pests and Pathogens
Plants often wait until pathogens are detected before producing toxic chemicals or defense-related proteins because of the high energy costs and nutrient requirements associated with their production and maintenance. This phenomenon is called systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and represents a heightened state of readiness in which plant resources are mobilized in case of further attack. Researchers have learned to artificially trigger SAR by spraying plants with chemicals called plant activators. These substances are gaining favor in the agricultural community because they are much less toxic to humans and wildlife than fungicides or antibiotics, and their protective effects can last much longer. - An Overview of Plant Defenses against Pathogens and Herbivores

My frass experiment uses the IMO method, but Effective Microorganisms are very similar.  Below are written instructions

Making Effective Microorganisms from Scratch.

Mix one cup rice with two cups water and shake.  Strain out the rice.  Cover and secure a paper towel over the top of the jar.  Leave in the dark, between 68 and 77 degrees F for five to seven days to culture the active microbes.  The mixture should smell sour.   Add 10 parts milk (about 5 quarts) to the one part strained rice wash, and let it ferment for 14 days.  The rice wash grows many microbes,  both beneficial and pathogenic.  The milk kills off everything but the lactobacillus. Strain the solids off the top of the bucket. The yellow liquid is purified lactobacillus serum.  Dilute the lactobacillus serum in a 1:20 ratio with water and add it to your compost 

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