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High-nitrogen compost as a medium for organic container-grown crops
Michael Raviv1, Yuji Oka, Jaacov Katan
1Department of Environmental Horticulture, Agriculture Research Organization, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, P.O. Box 1021, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel. mraviv@volcani.agri.gov.il
Bioresource Technology
|October 20, 2004
Summary
Compost derived from cow manure, wheat straw, grape marc, and orange peels effectively conserves nitrogen. These organic composts support plant growth and suppress common crop diseases and nematodes.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Soil Science
- Horticulture
Background:
- Organic container-grown crops require sustainable growing media.
- Nitrogen (N) loss during composting can reduce nutrient availability.
- Effective composts need optimal physical and nutritional properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate composts made from separated cow manure (SCM) with different additives as organic growing media.
- To assess nitrogen conservation during composting and nutrient availability for plants.
- To determine the efficacy of composts in managing plant diseases and nematodes.
Main Methods:
- Composting SCM with wheat straw (WS), grape marc (GM), or orange peels (OP) to maximize nitrogen (N) conservation.
- Assessing physical characteristics of composts for suitability as growing media.
- Evaluating nutritional contribution and plant growth using cherry tomato (Lycopersicon esculantum Mill.) and incubation experiments.
- Testing compost effects on root-galling index (GI) from Meloidogyne javanica and incidence of crown and root-rot caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici.
Main Results:
- High N conservation achieved: 82% (GM-SCM), 95% (OP-SCM), and 98% (WS-SCM).
- Composts exhibited suitable physical properties for growing media.
- Unfertilized OP-SCM and WS-SCM provided sufficient N for at least 4 months of tomato growth.
- Composts significantly reduced root-galling and Meloidogyne javanica egg counts (up to 50% reduction).
- OP-SCM and WS-SCM reduced tomato crown and root-rot disease incidence and Fusarium oxysporum populations, outperforming peat.
Conclusions:
- Composts from SCM with WS, GM, or OP are viable organic growing media with excellent N conservation.
- These composts provide adequate nutrition and effectively suppress key plant pathogens and nematodes in container-grown tomatoes.
- Utilizing these composts offers a sustainable alternative to peat for organic crop production.