Are compost teas an effective nutrient amendment in the cultivation of strawberries? Soil and plant tissue effects

Jennifer C Hargreaves^1*, M Sina Adl¹ and Philip R Warman^2,3

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Compost teas are purported to serve as an effective source of nutrients; however, there is little scientific evidence to support or refute this claim. Compost tea infusions made with municipal solid waste compost and ruminant compost were used as amendments for strawberry cultivation and their efficacy was compared to municipal solid waste (MSW) compost, ruminant compost, and fertilizer amendments. A variety of parameters were examined including the nutrient, micronutrient and metal concentrations of soil and leaf tissue, pH, total soil carbon and nitrogen, andmineralized nitrogen.

RESULTS: Compost tea treatments provided similar amounts of most macro- and micronutrients compared to MSW compost, ruminant compost, and fertilizer treatments and subsequently to strawberry plants. The MSW compost added significantly greater amounts of Ca, Na, and S to soil with increased plant uptake while the ruminant compost treatment plots had significantly greater available soil P. The compost and fertilizer treatments also provided greater amounts of K to soil compared to the compost tea treatments.

CONCLUSIONS: In a 2 year study, non-aerated compost teas were effective nutrient amendments for strawberries compared to ruminant andMSW compost, and inorganic fertilizers.


Source
Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture (2009) 89: 390–397


Author Locations and Affiliations
(1) Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford St, Halifax, NS, B3H 4J1, Canada
(2) Coastal BioAgresearch Ltd, Boutiliers Point, NS, B3Z 1V1, Canada
(3) Department of Plant and Animal Science, Nova Scotia Agricultural College, P.O. Box 550, Truro, NS, B2N 5E3, Canada
* Corresponding author, Email jn888503@dal.ca


en français

Posted February 2009