effects of municipal solid waste compost and compost tea on mineral element uptake and fruit quality of strawberries

• Published in: Compost science & utilization Vol. 17; no. 2; pp. 85 - 94
• Main Authors: Hargreaves, J.C, Adl, M.S, Warman, R.R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Emmaus, PA Taylor & Francis 2009; JG Press; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Agriculture; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; antioxidant activity; application rate; Applied sciences; ascorbic acid; Biological and medical sciences; compost teas; Composting; Exact sciences and technology; Fragaria; fruit quality; Fruits; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; minerals; MSW composts; Municipal solid waste; nutrient availability; nutrient uptake; Organic farming; Other nutrients. Amendments. Solid and liquid wastes. Sludges and slurries; Pollution; soil chemistry; soil nutrients; soil pH; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; strawberries; Studies; Tea; Vitamin C; Wastes; Compost; Fragaria; Production quality; Fruit; Small fruits; Rosaceae; Urban waste; Inorganic element; Absorption; Dicotyledones; Strawberry; Angiospermae; Waste reuse; Solid waste; Spermatophyta
• ISSN: 1065-657X; 2326-2397
• DOI: 10.1080/1065657X.2009.10702406

Three levels of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) and two application rates of compost tea made with MSWC were applied to strawberries for two years. The highest level of application of MSWC significantly increased the concentrations of most extractable soil mineral elements except for Ni which was increased in the highest compost tea application rate. Despite large differences in soil mineral element concentrations among treatments, plant and fruit uptake were generally unaffected by treatments. Notably however, compost tea applications increased fruit Na levels perhaps due to increased uptake of Na by leaves compared to roots. Generally, the composts and compost teas produced fruit of equal quality in terms of total antioxidant capacity and vitamin C but all treatments failed to provide sufficient N to strawberry plants and all fruit appeared to have leather rot; consequently, yield was decreased.