Composting of household organic waste and its effects on growth and mineral composition of cherry tomato

Abstract

Composting is an alternative for recycling biodegradable organic waste, transforming it into organic fertilizer that can be used as agricultural nutrients, avoiding its disposal in landfills. This study evaluated the composting of household organic waste as a substitution for cattle manure, with a view to its application in the fertilization of cherry tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum Mill., Var. Cesariforme). Thus, compost piles were set up using 30% organic waste (carbon source) and 70% tree-pruning residues (filling material). Two sources of organic waste were tested: household food waste (FW) and cattle manure (CM), at five proportions (15% FW + 15% CM, 10% FW + 20% CM, 20% FW + 10% CM and the controls 30% CM and 30% FW). After 90 days, the mature compost from each pile was mixed with coconut fibre in a 1:1 ratio and used as substrate filled in 15 L plastic pots, where the cherry tomato plants were grown. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions in a randomized block design, with five treatments and five replicates. Assessments of growth and leaf mineral composition were performed for the cherry tomato plants. The results indicate that cattle manure can be replaced by household food waste as the organic material used in compost piles. Fertilization with organic compost from household food waste positively influenced the growth and nutrient assimilation in the leaf tissue of cherry tomato.