Municipal Waste Compost: Effects on Crop Yields and Nutrient Content in Greenhouse Pot Experiments

Abstract

Five greenhouse pot experiments were conducted to study the utilization or disposal of urban waste compost on agricultural soils. Highly carbonaceous compost applied without additional N induced N deficiency in corn (Zea mays L.) grown on very N‐deficient Mountview sil. This was corrected by applying soluble N. Apparent N deficiency of corn was not induced by compost on soils higher in crop‐available N. Compost supplied considerable N, P, K, Ca, and Zn for corn and tall fescue (Fescue arundinacea Schreb.); P and K in the compost were relatively more available than its content of N. Placing P with compost did not increase availability of the P for corn.Heavy applications of compost (made from garbage and sewage sludge solids) to soil had a considerable liming effect and increased Zn concentrations and uptake by corn and tall fescue. The liming effect apparently prevented toxicity to corn and snap beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) from Zn accumulations from compost on an acid Sango sil.

Comparison of N fertilizer, source-separated municipal solid waste compost and semi-solid beef manure on the nutrient concentration in boot-stage barley and wheat tissue

“…Individual plots were 1.5 m wide and 8 m long, surrounded by a 0.5-m border. In this experiment, PAN was assumed to be 15% (Hortenstine and Rothwell 1973;Terman et al 1973;Iglesias-Jimenez and Alvarez 1993) and 50% of total N content of the compost and the manure, respectively. Compost, manure and fertilizer were also applied to the same plots in 1997 to give 0, 50, 100, and 150 kg N ha -1 .…”

Application of in -Vessel Composting With Forced Aeration for Biodegradable Solid Waste Using Saw Dust as Bulking Agent

“…Results as in Table 6 indicated that the compost had a high potential as plant fertilizer with appropriate concentration of nutrients required by the plants (Terman et al, 1973). Other elements in trace forms would also improve the ion exchange capacity of soil.…”

“…A 5-mm primary root was used as the operational definition of germination (Tiquia et al, 1996). The percentages of relative seed germination, relative root growth, and GI (figure 6) were calculated (Terman et al, 1973) using equations 1, 2 and 3 and shown in figure 6. …”

New Municipal Solid Waste Processing Technology Reduces Volume and Provides Beneficial Reuse Applications for Soil Improvement and Dust Control

“…Since most contaminants and pathogens are removed through the processing technology, Fluff could bypass the composting process and eliminate the most negative aspects of large-scale composting: the time, facilities infrastructure, and resulting management costs as well as the associated problems with leachate, odors, pests, and pathogen exposure (Busby et al, 2003). However, non-composted materials are generally not used because undecomposed organic matter is often attributed to phytotoxic effects and nutrient immobilization when applied to soil (Edwards, 1997;Zucconi et al, 1981a;Chanyasak et al, 1983a,b;Wong, 1985;Bengston and Cornette, 1973;Terman et al, 1973). When applying organic materials such as municipal waste compost to soil, care must be taken not to adversely affect the establishment and growth of vegetation.…”