Articles
Effect of winery waste composted with biochar on seedling and plant growth of organic Brassica spp. crops
Article number
1354_37
Pages
285 – 292
Language
English
Abstract
Recycling winery wastewater sludge and grape stalks through composting with biochar may have environmental and agronomic advantages.
The compost can be used as soil amendment to improve soil structure, water holding capacity and carbon sequestration.
However, there is a need to assess the potential of this compost on organic seedling and plant growth.
With this aim, two trials were carried out: i) a seedling tray experiment with broccoli, and ii) a pot experiment with pointed cabbage.
The composts were produced with sludge:stalk at the ratio of 1:1 (w:w) (C1) and of 1:1.5 (w:w) (C2) alone and with biochar (C1B and C2B) at the rate of 1:6 (w:w) of biochar to the composting pile.
In the first trial, the treatments included compost addition (10 and 20%, v:v) to the peat based commercial substrates Tray-mix and Siro.
In the second trial the treatments included the soil application of composts (30 t ha‑1), and biochar (10 t ha‑1). The fresh weight of broccoli seedlings did not increase with compost amendment, except for C2B (20%, v:v) with Tray-mix and C1B (20%, v:v) with Siro.
However, the application of 20% (v:v) compost produced more sturdy broccoli crop seedlings than 10% (v:v) except for C1 on Siro substrate.
The fresh weight of cabbage increased 26 and 23% with C1 and C2 application, respectively, compared to control.
However, plant weight decreased 14 and 7% with C1B and C2B compared to C1 and C2, respectively.
Therefore, the winery waste compost has the potential to increase seedling sturdiness and showed positive effects as soil fertilizer.
Nevertheless, further research is needed to address how much peat can be replaced by composted winery waste and to understand the role of biochar on cabbages seedling and plant growth.
The compost can be used as soil amendment to improve soil structure, water holding capacity and carbon sequestration.
However, there is a need to assess the potential of this compost on organic seedling and plant growth.
With this aim, two trials were carried out: i) a seedling tray experiment with broccoli, and ii) a pot experiment with pointed cabbage.
The composts were produced with sludge:stalk at the ratio of 1:1 (w:w) (C1) and of 1:1.5 (w:w) (C2) alone and with biochar (C1B and C2B) at the rate of 1:6 (w:w) of biochar to the composting pile.
In the first trial, the treatments included compost addition (10 and 20%, v:v) to the peat based commercial substrates Tray-mix and Siro.
In the second trial the treatments included the soil application of composts (30 t ha‑1), and biochar (10 t ha‑1). The fresh weight of broccoli seedlings did not increase with compost amendment, except for C2B (20%, v:v) with Tray-mix and C1B (20%, v:v) with Siro.
However, the application of 20% (v:v) compost produced more sturdy broccoli crop seedlings than 10% (v:v) except for C1 on Siro substrate.
The fresh weight of cabbage increased 26 and 23% with C1 and C2 application, respectively, compared to control.
However, plant weight decreased 14 and 7% with C1B and C2B compared to C1 and C2, respectively.
Therefore, the winery waste compost has the potential to increase seedling sturdiness and showed positive effects as soil fertilizer.
Nevertheless, further research is needed to address how much peat can be replaced by composted winery waste and to understand the role of biochar on cabbages seedling and plant growth.
Publication
Authors
R. Pinto, L.M. Brito, I. Mourão, T. Tavares, F. Sá, F. Gonçalves, L. Moura, L. Torres, J. Coutinho
Keywords
Brassica oleracea, compost, grape stalks, organic substrate, winery wastewater sludge
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