Work

Making novel substrates for vegetables cultivation by mixing crop residue compost with natural zeolites

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Up to eight innovative growth media were designed combining two composts from tomato and pepper crops waste with two rock by-products rich in zeolites and using two mixing ratios (1:1 and 1:3, vol:vol). Blends (zeo-composts) were characterized and tested on tomato plantlets in a short-term development assay. Mineralogic analyses confirmed chabasites and clinoptilolites as the main framework of the two zeolitites. Compared to composts alone 13 C NMR of zeo-compost showed different C distribution, with increase of alkyl-C components and decrease of O-Alkyl-C groups related to polysaccharides and carbohydrates. Zeolitites drastically lowered phytotoxicity of pepper-waste compost while buffering alkalinity and salinity; moreover, they modulated cations in the water solution and trapped part of labile C fraction within their nanostructure. Blends including tomato compost and clinoptilolites at lower dosage resulted the best performing in the short-term assay, showing good fertilizing features, and suitability as peat-free substrate for vegetable crops. • Zeolites-compost blends improve chemical-physical and fertilizing features. • Compared to composts alone, blends showed no phytotoxicity, lower pH and EC. • Zeolites modulate cations availability for plants uptake and trap labile C fraction. • Tomato compost + clinoptilolites resulted the best performing growth media. • Zeo-Compost is as a valuable growth substrate for vegetable cultivation.

Source: Environmental Technology & Innovation

DOI: 10.1016/j.eti.2024.103962