Document details

Valorization of kiwi waste through composting

Author(s): Fernandes, Paulo ; Pinto, Rui ; Correia, Cláudia ; Mourão, Isabel ; Moura, Luísa ; Brito, Luís Miguel

Date: 2024

Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10198/30763

Origin: Biblioteca Digital da UPB

Project/scholarship: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDP/05937/2020/PT; info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDB/00690/2020/PT; info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDB/05937/2020/PT;

Subject(s): Bacteria; C/N ratio; Compost; Fungi; Phytotoxicity


Description

Kiwi waste from the calibration process is a major environmental problem of kiwi production due to landfill deposition. This work aims to contribute to the agronomic use of recycled kiwi waste through composting. With this objective, a composting experiment was carried out with kiwi fruit waste mixed with 5%, 10% and 20% (fresh weight) of wheat straw from bundles used to protect kiwifruit trunks from frost, as abulking agent to increase aeration, in the piles 5S, 10S and 20S, respectively. The highest temperatures for piles 5S and 10S were above 60 degrees C, whereas the temperature did not reach 40 degrees C in the pile with the highest straw content (20S) because the aeration increased heat loss in addition to increased C/N ratio of this pile. Also, the amount of organic matter mineralized decreased with increasing amount of straw because of the high C/N ratio of the straw. The highest total N (29.7 g kg(-1)) and the lowest C/N ratio (13) of the compost with 5% of straw is important from the agricultural point of view to promote N availability. In contrast, the high electrical conductivity (4.6 dS m(-1)) of this compost increases the risk of salt accumulation in the soil. Our results show that the compost with 10% straw, with high degree of maturation, absence of poor hygiene indicators as coliforms and pathogens as Salmonella sp., high organic matter content and rich in nutrients, together with the adequate compost pH and low electrical conductivity improves compost quality.

Document Type Journal article
Language English
Contributor(s) Biblioteca Digital da UPB
CC Licence
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