Abstract
Improved predictive relationships between compost maturity and nitrogen (N) availability are needed. A total of 13 compost samples were collected from a single windrow over a 91 d period. Compost stability and maturity were assessed using both standard chemical analyses (total C and N, mineral N, total volatile solids) and other methods (CO2 evolution, commercial maturity kits, and neutral detergent fiber, and lignin). Compost N and carbon (C) were evaluated during a 130 d aerobic incubation in a sandy loam soil after each compost was applied at 200 mg total kg−1 soil. The effect of compost maturity on plant growth was evaluated by growing two ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) crops and one barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) crop in succession in compost-amended soil under greenhouse conditions. Potential phytotoxicity from compost was assessed by growing tomato (Lypersicum esculentum L.) seedlings in compost-amended soil. Regression and correlation analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between compost maturity parameters, the rate and extent of net N and C mineralization, plant yield and N uptake, and phytotoxicity. Commonly used maturity parameters like total C, total N, and C:N ratio were poorly correlated with the rate and extent of mineralization, and with plant growth parameters. The N mineralization rate during the first 48 d of aerobic incubation was strongly correlated (r= −0.82 to −0.86) to compost fiber and lignin concentration, and to the Maturity Index (r=0.85). Trends in C mineralization were similar. There were few differences in C mineralization between composts after 48 d of aerobic incubation in soil. Ryegrass harvested 35 and 70 d after compost application was not strongly affected by compost maturity, and relatively immature composts were phytotoxic to tomato seedlings. Methods of characterizing compost maturity and stability that more realistically reflect the composting process are better predictors of N release and potential plant inhibition after incorporation into soil.
Abstract from the paper’s OpenAlex record, shown for indexing and research. Copyright remains with the authors or the publisher. Read at the source ↗
The text the model read, with the source record’s inline markup (italics, sub- and superscripts) rendered and its character entities decoded; quote offsets refer to the raw text.
Claims 4
Claim · model-written summary
Common maturity parameters correlated poorly with plant growth parameters.
LoliumOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Commonly used maturity parameters like total C, total N, and C:N ratio were poorly correlated with the rate and extent of mineralization, and with plant growth parameters”
e1“two ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) crops and one barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) crop”
e2“tomato (Lypersicum esculentum L.) seedlings”
Claim · model-written summary
Ryegrass harvested 35 and 70 days after compost application was not strongly affected by compost maturity.
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Ryegrass harvested 35 and 70 d after compost application was not strongly affected by compost maturity”
Claim · model-written summary
Relatively immature composts were phytotoxic to tomato seedlings.
- Taxon
- tomato
Solanum lycopersicume0 - Treatment
- relatively immature compostse0
- Outcome
- phytotoxic to tomato seedlingse0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“relatively immature composts were phytotoxic to tomato seedlings”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors conclude process-reflecting compost methods better predict plant inhibition after soil incorporation.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicume1
- Outcome
- potential plant inhibitione0
- Direction
- bettere0
- Comparator
- Methods of characterizing compost maturity and stabilitye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Methods of characterizing compost maturity and stability that more realistically reflect the composting process are better predictors of N release and potential plant inhibition after incorporation into soil”
e1“tomato (Lypersicum esculentum L.) seedlings”
The same questions in other papers
fertilization · crop injury · Solanum lycopersicum (tomato)Positive and negative results
4 papers in the same direction as this paper · 3 in the opposite direction
- positive
- positive
- positive
4 papers more in this group
See all 8 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.