Articles
EFFECTS OF GREEN WASTE COMPOST ON SPRING WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L. CV AVANS) EMERGENCE AND EARLY GROWTH
Article number
469_33
Pages
313 – 318
Language
Abstract
Green waste, comprising tree branches, hedge and grass clippings and weeds has been targeted for composting by a number of UK local authorities.
One area of application for the product is agriculture, a tried-and tested market in the USA but untried in the UK. The rationale for use of the product derives from the potential for yield increases that have been frequently observed, and the possibility of increasing long-term soil fertility.
However, an assessment of the material on the early growth of field crops is necessary in order to satisfy farmers’ concerns over the performance of the product.
In this experiment, the effects of two composts of differing stability were assessed for spring wheat.
Unstable compost showed increased emergence at 20 days compared with stable compost and untreated soils, attributable to the plants’/seeds’ greater ability to resist the effects of low temperatures around the time of sowing.
With unstable compost, dry matter yields at 36 days were significantly lower than control plants and those in stable compost.
Because the C:N ratio of the unstable compost was relatively low, this was attributed primarily to the presence of phytotoxins.
One area of application for the product is agriculture, a tried-and tested market in the USA but untried in the UK. The rationale for use of the product derives from the potential for yield increases that have been frequently observed, and the possibility of increasing long-term soil fertility.
However, an assessment of the material on the early growth of field crops is necessary in order to satisfy farmers’ concerns over the performance of the product.
In this experiment, the effects of two composts of differing stability were assessed for spring wheat.
Unstable compost showed increased emergence at 20 days compared with stable compost and untreated soils, attributable to the plants’/seeds’ greater ability to resist the effects of low temperatures around the time of sowing.
With unstable compost, dry matter yields at 36 days were significantly lower than control plants and those in stable compost.
Because the C:N ratio of the unstable compost was relatively low, this was attributed primarily to the presence of phytotoxins.
Authors
K.R. McCallum, A.A. Keeling, C.P. Beckwith, P.S. Kettlewell
Keywords
cold protection, crop production, germination, N-immobilisation, phytotoxicity, polyphenols
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