USE OF COMPOSTS FROM MUNICIPAL WASTES AS SUBSTRATES TO PRODUCE TOMATO AND MELON SEEDLINGS IN NURSERIES

Authors:	M. Díaz-Pérez, F. González, O. Moreno, F. Camacho
Keywords:	peat, salinity, germination, co-composting, Lycopersicum esculentum, Cucumis melo
DOI:	10.17660/ActaHortic.2011.898.18
Abstract: Peats are the basis of most of the substrates used in nurseries due to their excellent chemical, physical and biological properties. However, high demand for them is depleting resources and causing ecosystem degradation where they are located. This work studies the effect of the addition of compost coming from co-composting of Urban Solid Wastes (USW), Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) and vegetable wastes (VW) on the growth of tomato and melon seedlings in nurseries. The highest compost dose increased substrate electrical conductivity (E.C.) from 1.4 to 21.3 dS m^-1, which decreased germination speed in the two crops. Also, in melon, high compost dose increased the number of leaves, stem diameter and reduced the stem length and the lining coefficient (Stem diameter/Stem length). Therefore, it is possible to partially substitute compost for peat in the substrate mixtures used to produce tomato and melon seedlings in nurseries.
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