scholarly journals Analysis of Fresh Mushroom Compost

2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 449-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael A. Fidanza ◽  
David L. Sanford ◽  
David M. Beyer ◽  
David J. Aurentz

Fresh mushroom compost is a byproduct of the edible mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) industry and represents the composted growing substrate that remains after a crop has been harvested to completion. Thirty samples were obtained from commercial mushroom farms in southeastern Pennsylvania and sent to a laboratory for analysis to determine plant nutrient content, bulk density, and particle size distribution of fresh mushroom compost. Fresh mushroom compost had an average pH of 6.6, with an average carbon:nitrogen ratio of 13:1. Organic matter content averaged 25.86% (wet weight), 146.73 lb/yard3 (wet volume) or 60.97% (dry weight). For the primary macronutrients, average total nitrogen content averaged 1.12% (wet weight), 6.40 lb/yard3 (wet volume) or 2.65% (dry weight), phosphorus measured 0.29% (wet weight), 1.67 lb/yard3 (wet volume) or 0.69% (dry weight), and potassium was 1.04% (wet weight), 5.89 lb/yard3 (wet volume) or 2.44% (dry weight). Average soluble salt content was 13.30 mmho/cm (wet weight basis). However, on a per acre basis, the calculated sodium absorption ratio of 0.38 was considered very low. The average bulk density of fresh mushroom compost was 574.73 lb/yard3 (wet volume basis), and 91% of the material measured ≤3/8 inch in diameter as determined on a wet weight basis. Overall, fresh mushroom compost is suitable as a natural organic fertilizer and soil amendment for agriculture and horticulture.

1993 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 527-538 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. V. Rodd ◽  
K. B. McRae ◽  
J. B. Harnish ◽  
H. W. Kolstee

Acadia or dykeland soils have produced forages successfully for centuries. The formation of barren areas within very productive forage stands has been noted recently in some land-formed fields, indicating either poor germination or poor growing conditions. A survey was undertaken in 1988 to determine the differences in soil attributes between barren and productive areas, namely: topographical position, resistance to penetration, bulk density, pH, plant-available P2O5, -K2O, Ca, and Mg, salt content (as measured by conductivity and sodium adsorption ratio), and exchangeable and soluble Ca, Mg, K and Na. Barren areas had greater: plant-available P2O5, resistance to penetration (the differential ranged from 480 to 1440 kPa), bulk density (in the top 15 cm), salt and sodium content than the productive ones. The exchangeable and soluble Na:Mg and Na:Ca ratios were higher on barren areas than on productive areas. Organic matter content was lower on barren than on productive areas. Values for topographic position, pH, particle size classes and plant-available K2O, Ca, and Mg were similar between the productivity areas. The results of this survey indicate that the formation of barren areas appears to be mainly due to accumulation of excess salts, especially sodium. Reasons for salt accumulation in these areas are discussed. Key words: Acadia soils, dykeland, salt, sodium, organic matter, resistance to penetration


1999 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.S. Fernández ◽  
M. Larsen ◽  
P. Nansen ◽  
E. Henningsen ◽  
J. Grønvold ◽  
...  

The ability of two isolates of the nematode-trapping fungus Duddingtonia flagrans to reduce the numbers of gastrointestinal nematode larvae on herbage was tested in three plot studies. Artificially prepared cow pats containing Ostertagia ostertagi eggs, with and without fungal spores, were deposited on pasture plots two or three times during the grazing season in 1995, 1996 and 1997. The herbage around each pat was sampled fortnightly over a period of 2 months and the number of infective larvae was recorded. At the end of the sampling period, the remainder of the faecal pats was collected to determine the wet weight, dry weight, and content of organic matter. The infective larvae remaining in the pats were extracted. Faecal cultures showed that both fungal isolates significantly reduced the number of infective larvae. Significantly fewer larvae were recovered from herbage surrounding fungus-treated pats compared with control pats in all three experiments, reflecting the ability of the fungus to destroy free-living larval stages in the faecal pat environment. After 8 weeks on pasture there were no differences between control and fungus-treated pats with respect to wet weight, dry weight, and organic matter content. This indicates that the degradation of faeces was not negatively affected by the presence of the fungus.


2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 1303-1310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcela Midori Yada ◽  
Wanderley José de Melo ◽  
Fábio Luiz Checchio Mingotte ◽  
Valéria Peruca de Melo ◽  
Gabriel Maurício Peruca de Melo

ABSTRACT The large production of sewage sludge (SS), especially in large urban centers, has led to the suggestion of using this waste as fertilizer in agriculture. The economic viability of this action is great and contributes to improve the environment by cycling the nutrients present in this waste, including high contents of organic matter and plant nutrients. This study evaluated the chemical and biochemical properties of Dystrophic and EutroferricLatossolos Vermelhos (Oxisols) under corn and after SS application at different rates for 16 years. The field experiment was carried out in Jaboticabal, São Paulo State, Brazil, using a randomized block design with four treatments and five replications. Treatments consisted of control - T1 (mineral fertilization, without SS application), 5 Mg ha-1 SS - T2, 10 Mg ha-1 SS - T3, and 20 Mg ha-1 SS - T4 (dry weight base). The data were submitted to variance analysis and means were compared by the Duncan test at 5 %. Sewage sludge increased P extracted by resin in both theLatossolos Vermelhos, Dystrophic and Eutroferric, and the organic matter content in the Dystrophic Latossolo Vermelho. The waste at the rate 20 Mg ha-1 on a dry weight basis promoted increases in acid phosphatase activity in Eutroferric Latossolo Vermelho, basal respiration and metabolic quotient in DystrophicLatossolo Vermelho. The rate 20 Mg ha-1 sewage sludge on a dry weight basis did not alter the soil microbial biomass in both the Latossolos Vermelhos; in addition, it improved corn yields without inducing any symptoms of phytotoxicity or nutrient deficiency in the plants.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 28
Author(s):  
Yetti Elidar

Research on the response of roots of palm sugar palm seeds (Arenga pinnata) in nurseries at doses and intervals of Nasa liquid organic fertilizer. Aims to determine the dosage, interval and combination of dosages and fertilization intervals with Nasa liquid organic fertilizer which can provide the best dry weight of the roots in the nursery. The research design used was a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 3x3 factorial experiments and each treatment was repeated 8 (eight) times, consisting of: the first factor was the treatment of POC Nasa dose in a concentration of 3 cc POC Nasa per liter of water (D) consists of 3 levels, namely: d1 = 300 ml POC Nasa, d2 = 400 ml POC Nasa, d3 = 500 ml POC Nasa, while the second factor is the treatment of POC Nasa Interval (I) consisting of 3 levels, namely: i1 = 2 once a week, i2 = once every 3 weeks, i3 = once every 4 weeks. The results of the POC Nasa dose study had a significant effect on leaf wet weight, leaf dry weight, root wet weight and root dry weight. The best dose at this level are: d2 (400 ml of Nasa liquid organic fertilizer), the interval of liquid organic fertilizer Nasa has a significant effect on leaf wet weight, leaf dry weight, root wet weight and root dry weight. The best dose at this level is: i1 (once every 2 weeks). The treatment combination has no significant effect on all parameters. 


1954 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Hubbard

The sedimentation behavior of aqueous solutions of digitonin and of cattle rhodopsin in digitonin has been examined in the ultracentrifuge. In confirmation of earlier work, digitonin was found to sediment as a micelle (D-1) with an s20 of about 6.35 Svedberg units, and containing at least 60 molecules. The rhodopsin solutions sediment as a stoichiometric complex of rhodopsin with digitonin (RD-1) with an s20 of about 9.77 Svedberg units. The s20 of the RD-1 micelle is constant between pH 6.3 and 9.6, and in the presence of excess digitonin. RD-1 travels as a single boundary also in the electrophoresis apparatus at pH 8.5, and on filter paper at pH 8.0. The molecular weight of the RD-1 micelle lies between 260,000 and 290,000. Of this, only about 40,000 gm. are due to rhodopsin; the rest is digitonin (180 to 200 moles). Comparison of the relative concentrations of RD-1 and retinene in solutions of rhodopsin-digitonin shows that RD-1 contains only one retinene equivalent. It can therefore contain only one molecule of rhodopsin with a molecular weight of about 40,000. Cattle rhodopsin therefore contains only one chromophore consisting of a single molecule of retinene. It is likely that frog rhodopsin has a similar molecular weight and also contains only one chromophore per molecule. The molar extinction coefficient of rhodopsin is therefore identical with the extinction coefficient per mole of retinene (40,600 cm.2 per mole) and the E(1 per cent, 1 cm., 500 mµ) has a value of about 10. Rhodopsin constitutes about 14 per cent of the dry weight, and 3.7 per cent of the wet weight of cattle outer limbs. This corresponds to about 4.2 x 106 molecules of rhodopsin per outer limb. The rhodopsin content of frog outer limbs is considerably higher: about 35 per cent of the dry weight, and 10 per cent of the wet weight, corresponding to about 2.1 x 109 molecules per outer limb. Thus the frog outer limb contains about five hundred times as much rhodopsin as the cattle outer limb. But the relative volumes of these structures are such that the ratio of concentrations is only about 2.5 to 1 on a weight basis. Rhodopsin accounts for at least one-fifth of the total protein of the cattle outer limb; for the frog, this value must be higher. The extinction (K500) along its axis is about 0.037 cm.2 for the cattle outer limb, and about 0.50 cm.2 for the frog outer limb.


Soil Research ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 679 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z Paydar ◽  
HP Cresswell

Different approaches were investigated for estimating the parameters in the Campbell soil water characteristic (SWC) equation from soil attributes such as particle size distribution (PSD), bulk density, and organic matter content. Predicted soil water characteristics were compared with measured values for soils of the wheatbelt of south-eastern Australia. A method of prediction is proposed incorporating an empirical relationship for estimating the slope of the SWC from the slope of the cumulative PSD. A power-law form is assumed for both the SWC and PSD functions. One measured SWC point is then used to locate and thus define the SWC curve. When SWC points predicted with this 'one-point' method were compared with measured values, the mean absolute value of the difference between each measured and predicted SWC point was 0.016 m3/m3 for the Geeves data and 0.027 m3/m3 for the Forrest data. Eight sets of predictive equations, previously developed using multiple regression analysis, were also evaluated. Whilst the equations predicted the slope of the SWC curves reasonably well, predictions of the air entry potential were poor. Although less accurate, the equations developed by multiple regression are less demanding in data requirement compared with alternative SWC prediction methods. The one-point method gave better predictions than the multiple regression approach but was less accurate than the 'two-point' method proposed in the first paper in this series. The one-point method should be considered where PSD data and 1 measured SWC point are available. In most other circumstances it will be more accurate and cost-effective to measure 2 SWC points to define the soil water characteristic function (the two-point method).* Part I, Aust. J. Soil Res., 1996, 34, 195–212.


1987 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 747-763 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. NAETH ◽  
A. W. BAILEY ◽  
W. B. McGILL

A study was conducted in Solonetzic mixed prairie of southern Alberta to evaluate and determine the longevity of selected ecosystem responses to pipeline installation. Five adjacent natural gas pipelines on a series of rights-of-way (ROW) were studied at three sites. The lines, which were installed in 1957, 1963, 1968, 1972 and 1981, had diameters of 86, 86, 91, 107 and 107 cm, respectively. Soils were analyzed for particle size distribution, bulk density, pH, electrical conductivity, ion composition, and organic matter content. It was concluded that pipeline construction in Solonetzic mixed prairie range-land initially tended to improve surface soil chemical and physical properties compared to blowouts, but reduced soil quality in vegetated native prairie. Surface bulk density increased to 1.3–1.6 Mg m−3 from an undisturbed density of 0.9–1.0 Mg m−3. Increased densities were evident to 55 cm in all 1981 transects except the trench where subsurface densities were reduced. Chemical changes were associated with reduced organic matter and increased salts at the surface. On the basis of differences between the various ages of pipelines (1981, youngest; 1957, oldest) there was evidence for greater amelioration of chemical changes than of physical disturbances over time. The time needed to restore half the lost organic matter was estimated to be approximately 50 y. Key words: Pipeline, Solonetzic soil, rangeland (native), soil chemistry, bulk density, reclamation


2002 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 433-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
M T Morera ◽  
J. Echeverría ◽  
J. Garrido

The recycling of sewage sludge to agricultural land results in the slow accumulation of potentially toxic heavy metals in soils. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the bioavailability of Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn applied to soils in urban anaerobically stabilized sewage sludge. The soils were Lithic Haplumbrept (Lh), Calcixerollic Xerochrept (Cx1 and Cx2) and Paralithic Xerorthent (Px). Sunflower plants (Helianthus annuus L) were grown in the soils following amendment with the sludge. The addition of sewage sludge markedly increased the average dry weight of the plants in the soils that had lower yields without sludge addition (Lh, Cx2, and Px). The acid pH of the Lh soil favoured the bioavailability of Zn from sewage sludge. The bioavailability of Cu was greater in the alkaline soils than in the acidic soil (Lh), which can be attributed to the high organic matter content of the Lh soil which complexes Cu and impairs its uptake by the plants. The concentration of metals in the plants increased with the sewage sludge dose. The effect of the soil type on the metal concentration in plants was greater that the effect of the dose. Key words: Soils, sewage sludge, heavy metals, bioavailability, sunflower


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Shobib

Cow manure can be used for making organic fertilizer because it contains nutrients such as Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K). Rice straw has a high C-Organic content. Adding straw compost will increase soil organic matter content. The study aims to determine the fermentation process that occurs so as to produce organic fertilize, know the effect of fermentation time and the effect of the composition of raw materials for cow manure and rice straw on the process of making organic fertilizer to the content of organic fertilizer according to SNI 7603 : 2018. The method use by aerobic fermentation is by mixing cow manure and rice straw and M-Dec bioactivators by comparison 3 : 1, 2 : 2,1 : 3 and fermentation time 7, 14, 21, 28 days. The parameters tested are C-organic, Nitrogen (N), C/N ratio, Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K). The best quality organic fertilizer in the treatment of cow manure : rice straw with a ratio of 2 : 2 on the 28th day fermentation process namely C-organic content 34,63 %, C/N ratio is 25, macro nutrient content N+P2O5+K2O of 3,14 % that has met SNI 7763 : 2018. Keyword: M-Dec bioactivator, aerobic fermentation, cow manure, rice straw, C/N ratio


2017 ◽  
pp. 356-362
Author(s):  
Lidiia Svirenko ◽  
Viktoriia Bondar

Ukraine is well-known in the world as a country with soil rich for humus. Approximately 68% of arable soils in Ukraine have been classificated as chernozem. For last decades decrease of organic matter content in soils of various agri-climatic zones has been surveyed in the country. The main reason of the mentioned process is enormous lack of organic fertilizer (manure) in agriculture connected with decrease in livestock (in 3 times since year 1992). Besides there is expansion of technical crops for biofuel production (like Brassica napus, Helianthus annuus), which are the provocateurs of soils exhaustion. At the same time such important source of organic matter for application in agriculture as sewage sludge (SS) from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is not used in Ukraine nowadays. To stop arable soils degradation in regions it is necessary to develop up-to-date management for fertilizer production on WWTPs. The base for the process has to be the acceptance of the goal-oriented National programme, corresponding governmental decrees and implementation of national standard for using sewage sludge as fertilizer.


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