2025/01/31 by Allyson N. Hamilton, Matthew B. Bertucci, Kristen E. Gibson +3 · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Composting and Vermicomposting Techniques #Food Waste Reduction and Sustainability #Urban Agriculture and Sustainability
paper · doi:10.21273/horttech05559-24
openalex publication_date 2025/01/31 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/26
A greenhouse study investigated the influence of various food waste compost (FWC) and potting mix (PM) blends on germination, growth, and nutrient uptake of tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) and watermelon ( Citrullus lanatus ) seedlings. Source material for the FWC included food scraps from a commercial partner and wood chips from a local tree service company. The FWC was prepared in a controlled environment and combined with wood chips to create experimental substrates. After composting, substrate blends were prepared by mixing FWC with a peat-based PM to create five volume:volume (v:v) ratios of FWC:PM comprising 100:0 (FWC alone), 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100 (PM alone). Tomato and watermelon growth characteristics were assessed during separate trials in the same greenhouse. For each trial, one seed was sown into each cell of a 72-cell tray filled with a corresponding substrate. Plant growth assessments included emergence rates, plant height, stem diameter, biomass, leaf area, and nutrient content. Tomato emergence was reduced to 67% and 77% in 75:25 (FWC:PM) and FWC alone, respectively; however, higher PM substrate blends had 88% to 92% tomato emergence. Watermelon emergence was 62% in FWC alone, whereas all other substrate blends had ≥81% watermelon emergence. The results indicated that substrate mixes with ≤50% (v:v) FWC produced superior seedling emergence, growth, and biomass accumulation. Importantly, no FWC:PM substrate blend produced higher emergence or growth than PM alone. Although leaf properties in FWC:PM mixtures were comparable to or better than those in a commercial PM standard, the observed reduction in uniform and rapid seedling emergence is a more critical factor for commercial production. Thus, FWC may be a suitable material for substrate blends, but it should not serve as a standalone alternative to PM.