Relating Compost Measures of Stability And Maturity to Plant Growth
- 1 March 2003
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Compost Science & Utilization
- Vol. 11 (2), 113-124
- https://doi.org/10.1080/1065657x.2003.10702118
Abstract
Assessment of compost maturity is important for successful use of composts in agricultural and horticultural production. We assessed the “maturity” of four different sawdust-based composts. We composted sawdust with either cannery waste (CW), duck manure (DM), dairy (heifer) manure (HM) or potato culls (PC) for approximately one year. Windrows were turned weekly for the first 60 days of composting, covered for four winter months and then turned monthly for six more months. We measured compost microbial respiration (CO2 loss), total C and N, C:N ratio, water soluble NO3-N and NH4-N, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), pH and electrical conductivity at selected dates over 370 days. Compost effects on ryegrass biomass and N uptake were evaluated in a greenhouse study. We related compost variables to ryegrass growth and N uptake using regression analysis. All composts maintained high respiration rates during the first 60 days of composting. Ammonium-N concentrations declined within the first 60 days of composting, while NO3-N concentrations did not increase until 200+ days. After 250+ days, DM and PC composts produced significantly more ryegrass biomass than either CW or HM composts. Total C, microbial respiration and water-extractable NO3-N were good predictors of compost stability/maturity, or compost resistance to change, while dissolved organic carbon, C:N ratio and EC were not. The compost NO3-N/CO2-C ratio was calculated as a parameter reflecting the increase in net N mineralization and the decrease in respiration rate. At ratio values >8 mg NO3-N/mg CO2-C/day, ryegrass growth and N uptake were at their maximum for three of the four composts, suggesting the ratio has potential as a useful index of compost maturity.Keywords
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