Using mushroom farm and anaerobic digestion wastewaters as supplemental fertilizer sources for growing container nursery stock in a closed system

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 99; no. 6; pp. 2050 - 2060
• Main Authors: Chong, C., Purvis, P., Lumis, G., Holbein, B.E., Voroney, R.P., Zhou, H., Liu, H.-W., Alam, M.Z.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-04-2008; [New York, NY]: Elsevier Ltd; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agaricales - metabolism; Agriculture - methods; Aluminum; Anaerobic Digestion; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of sewage sludges and wastes; Biotechnology; Container culture; Cornus; Ecological Systems, Closed; Environment and pollution; Equipment Design; Exact sciences and technology; Facility Design and Construction; Fertigation; Fertilizers; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Nutrient recirculation; Ornamentals; Plants - metabolism; Pollution; Sewage; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Wastewater recycling; Wastewaters; Water Pollutants - chemistry; Water Purification - methods; Water treatment and pollution; Wood; Woody species; Ornamentals; Fertigation; Nutrient recirculation; Container culture; Wastewater recycling; Woody species; Planting stock; Ornamental crop; Container growing; Recirculation; Woody plant; Anaerobic digestion; Waste water; Fertilizers; Fungi; Closed systems; Fungus; Container; Nutrient; Recycling
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2007.02.047

Wastewaters from farm and composting operations are often rich in select nutrients that potentially can be reutilized in crop production. Liners of silverleaf dogwood (
Cornus alba L. ‘Argenteo-marginata’), common ninebark [
Physocarpus opulifolius (L.) Maxim.], and Anthony Waterer spirea (
Spiraea
×
bumalda Burvénich ‘Anthony Waterer’) were grown in 6
L containers filled with a bark-based commercial mix. Plants were fertigated daily via a computer-controlled multi-fertilizer injector with three recirculated fertilizer treatments: (1) a stock (control) solution with complete macro- and micro-nutrients, electrical conductivity (EC) 2.2
dS
m
−1; (2) wastewater from a mushroom farm; and (3) process wastewater from anaerobic digestion of municipal solid waste. The wastewaters used in both treatments 2 and 3 were diluted with tap water, and the computer was programmed to amend, dispense and recirculate nutrients based on the same target EC as in treatment 1. For comparison, there was a traditional controlled-release fertilizer treatment [Nutryon 17-5-12 (17N–2P–10K) plus micro-nutrients topdressed at a rate of 39
g/plant, nutrients not recirculated]. All three species responded similarly to the three recirculated fertilizer treatments. Growth with the recirculated treatments was similar and significantly higher than that obtained with controlled-release fertilizer. Throughout the study, the EC measured in wastewater-derived nutrient solutions, and also in the container substrate, were similar or close to those of the control treatment, although there were small to large differences among individual major nutrients. There was no sign of nutrient deficiency or toxicity symptoms to the plants. Small to moderate excesses in concentrations of SO
4, Na, and/or Cl were physiologically tolerable to the species.